2016 Holiday Charities

For every chocolate given out during the 2016 holiday season,  $1 will be donated to the agents Vancouver Downtown Eastside charity.
These are the charities we will be supporting in 2016:

Saint James Music Academy believes in social transformation through the power and love of music. Through the inspiration and joy of collaborative music making within the framework of their orchestras and choirs. They give young people of the Downtown Eastside the opportunity to explore their creative potential, gain self-confidence, get an academic head start, and become role models within their families and community.

W.I.S.H. is a foundation that helps increase the health, safety and well-being of women involved in the survival sex trade in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES). Women come to W.I.S.H. to attend to their basic needs. A hot meal, showers, clothing or referrals for health care, shelter and detox support.

Downtown Eastside Women's Centre: Provides basic needs and helps make a positive change for women and children of the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver.

Food Bank Friday's

The Greater Vancouver Food Bank is suffering from a historical low this year. So for the month of October The Travel Group's Friday #WineDown's money will go towards The Vancouver Food Bank.

“For every dollar that’s donated to the food bank, we can convert it to nearly three times its value.”

~ With Files from Linda Aylesworth
(global news interview)

 
BT Vancouver, December 2013

End of the season Golf Tournament

We wrap up another year (2016) with another fundraising golf tournament. 

Get a hole in one !

Tourism Australia hosts Friday #WIneDown

It's not all work and no play !

This week we had Tourism Australia in conjunction with South Australia Tourism sponsor our Friday #WineDown.

They held a 30 minute learning session all about Australia, including Ultimate Winery Experiences followed by #WineDown with the tastes of Australia to help raise money for the Vancouver Downtown Eastside.

Thank you to Michael & Lea-Ann for hosting.

Longest Day - 8th annual

It was another successful Day!

With the attendance of about 65 people, everyone was very generous to our charities, helping us raise over $1400. This year we invited our charities to speak. And we were honored to have 3 come to represent. 

Eva & Meghan from WISH Drop in Centre. WISH Drop-in Centre helps to improve, the healthy, safety and well being of women who are involved in the Vancouver street-based sex trade.

Arlene & Dee Dee from Saint James Music Academy. SJMA belives in the power and the joy of music to change lives.

Keryn from the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre which provides a safe space for women and children.

Our luck will run out with the weather at some point, but this was not the year!  It was a blue sky with some fast moving clouds, and a breeze to keep us all cool while we ran or walked out the jetty.

Marie, starting things off with a yoga stretch including a Haka (traditional war cry, dance or challenge from the Maori people of New Zealand) She never fails to come up with something fun !

Andrew from Forbes Travel came in first, crossing the finish line with a time of 40:40, followed by the fastest walker, his co-worker, Lisa.

We added a new prize for the fastest female runner, and Kemi from North South Travel took the winning spot with a time of 49:55.

Another new addition this year was the "Team Spirit" award. We had 5 teams enter this year, some standing out more than others. 

"Forbulous" - Forbes Travel International
"Jetsetters" - North South Travel
"Westjetters" - WestJet Airlines
"Dreamliners....Cuz we fly it" - Air Canada
"We kNOSE Travel" - The Travel Group

North South took the win with their matching shirts and a large team of 9.

The wildest hat is always a very hard prize to pick, each year the hats get better, but sometimes the simple ones can win too! Cindy and Michael with their simple paper hats and Regine with her gold gladiator hat took the win!

It was another year of great success, and I am already planning 2017 !
We look forward to seeing you again next year ! 

~ Colleen

A special thanks to our 2016 sponsors: Capilano suspension bridge for their day passes, Park'n Fly, Trooper for their signed CD & Photo. Manulife for their donation. The Listel Hotel for a gift certificate, and EpricRides for ride passes. And The Fairmont Waterfront & The Travel Group for donating for the Team Spirit award. 

9th Annual BCICA Golf Tournament Fundraiser

Our clients are at it again! 

The BCICA (British Columbia Insulation Contractors Association) are hosting their 9^th Annual Golf Tournament in May. The Travel Group does not have any avid golfers to put up to the golfing challenge so we support with a door prize of a suitcase full of trinkets for the silent auction.

Last year the event raised more than $74,000 and a presentation of $352,000 was made to the BC Cancer Control Agency. The monies will fund an early Pre-Screening CT Scan Study. It is hoped that pre-screening will lead to earlier discovery and provide better treatment options to those at risk of developing Mesothelioma.

Let's help our neighbours

In light of the recent Fort McMurray fires, all money collected for May's Friday #WineDown  will go to Red Cross's emergency Alberta Fires Appeal. 

Join us in support of our neighbouring friends. 

Donate to the Alberta Fires Appeal.

All individual donations are being matched by the Government of Canada. 

#WeWorkOut

Once again Janna is workout to Conquer Cancer.

On April 2nd, Janna and her teammates #WeWorkOut will be participating in a day-long fitness fundraising event that will have them lunging, squatting and downward dogging with hundreds of other who have committed to making a serious impact in the effort to conquer cancer.

25,000 British Colombians will be diagnosed with cancer in 2016, and The Travel Group has donated a suitcase full of trinkets to help them reach their fundraising goal.

The Kwi Awt Stelmexw presents

The Kwi Awt Stelmexw, an emerging non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening all aspects of Squamish language, heritage, culture, and art presents:

We Speak ! 

A Fundraising Gala
March 11, 2016

The Travel Group has donated a suitcase full of travel supplies to help them raise money for their cause. 
All proceeds from the Gala will go towards supporting Coast Salish youth in programs to engage with Squamish language and culture.