Thrills of a lifetime! A two-day old cheetah cub, charging elephants, lions with a fresh kill, and this was just the first week!
Having the opportunity to spend 12 weeks living and working in the S. African bush certainly spoiled us for conventional safaris, but that was okay. We chose the volunteer organization Global Vision International in part because of their commitment to providing quality training and safety to their expedition members. Another major factor in our choice of programs was that the data we were collecting would be used by public educational institutions to better sustain the local communities.
But I [ ... ]
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Thrills of a lifetime! A two-day old cheetah cub, charging elephants, lions with a fresh kill, and this was just the first week!
Having the opportunity to spend 12 weeks living and working in the S. African bush certainly spoiled us for conventional safaris, but that was okay. We chose the volunteer organization Global Vision International in part because of their commitment to providing quality training and safety to their expedition members. Another major factor in our choice of programs was that the data we were collecting would be used by public educational institutions to better sustain the local communities.
But I [ ... ]
Category: Past Work, Volunteering
Tags: African Safari, Global Vision International, volunteer Leave a Comment
The look of pure joy on the face of a young lady with cerebral palsy…the determined smile from the autistic boy…and the enormous grin from a wounded combat veteran. What do all of these have in common? A visit to Quantum Leap Farm and a ride on one of the therapy horses who call this their home.
Begun in 2000, this non- profit organization provides services for adults and children with physical and mental disabilities. Helping people of all ages and abilities achieve goals and overcome challenges by engaging them with horses.
This is one of our favorite volunteer programs so [ ... ]
We learned about Pacific Whale Foundation through their Volunteering on Vacation program. They have a partnership with other non-profits, the National Parks Service and community groups to protect Maui’s fragile island environment.
The Pacific Whale Foundation also sponsors community events, education, research and conservation programs over the island. Volunteers earn points toward discounts in PWF’s Ocean Stores and tickets to their amazing Eco-Adventures. See the attached photo! This is an easy way to stretch your travel budget in Hawaii and feel like you are giving something back to these spectacular islands.
We had the opportunity to participate in two programs, The Hawaiian [ ... ]
“Bloody Hell! There’s a possum in my bed!”
Definitely NOT what you’d expect to hear on a 12 week expedition with Global Vision International to Mexico’s unspoiled Sian Ka ‘an Biosphere for Coral Reef Research. Yet, the surprise experiences never seemed to stop coming!
The goal of this volunteer expedition is on monitoring and protecting the surrounding MesoAmerican reef, by conducting surveys on fish and coral as well as turtle nests and gaining and overall understanding for this water-based environment.
Not only did we come away with advanced diving certifications – Cheryl became a Rescue Diver and Dive Master – but we both [ ... ]
Category: Past Work, Volunteering
Tags: Global Vision International, marine conservation, Mexico, volunteer Leave a Comment
Who would ever have thought that hammering nails, cutting siding, and stuffing itchy insulation inside walls could be so rewarding and so much fun?
I have to admit being a little apprehensive when we showed up at my first build with the Tampa Bay Habitat For Humanity. I know next to nothing about construction or building anything larger than a birdhouse, but within minutes we’d been introduced to the project supervisor and given detailed instructions on what needed to be done.
We worked alongside family members of those who would soon be occupying this home and listened to their expressions of gratitude [ ... ]
Volunteering couldn’t get much sweeter than a day spent at the Great American Pie Festival in Celebration, Florida!
This will be our second year volunteering as servers at the “Never Ending Pie Buffet”, but there are positions as Pie Police, Pie-Eating Contest judges, and Children’s Pie Decorating Tent available as well.
Thousands of pie lovers, tasters and bakers gather together at the Great American Pie Festival sponsored by Crisco®. The highlight, as always, will be the Never-Ending Pie Buffet, featuring award-winning pie, ice cream, toppings and beverages.
Our shift as pie buffet servers is pure pleasure. Deciding which of the over 85,000 slices [ ... ]
Category: Past Work, Volunteering
Tags: Celebration, Great American Pie Festival, Pie, volunteer Leave a Comment
Who wouldn’t want to spend a day at beautiful Waikiki Beach in Hawaii? That’s where our snorkel survey for Reef Watch Waikiki begins. This volunteer opportunity is to gather data, share knowledge, promote appropriate reef etiquette and lead educational programs for both visitors and those native to the islands.
In addition to the snorkel surveys in which we identified fish, coral, and invasive plant species, we also participate in frequent beach monitoring to determine human use and biological monitoring.
Reef Watch Waikiki gives us the opportunity is give back to the community as well as meet an amazing group of individuals committed [ ... ]
