Building a Village $10 at a Time

Passports with  Purpose

is ba-a-ack with a basketful of temptations for you, and A Traveler’s Library is sponsoring TWO great vacation prizes.

• Here’s WHAT it is
• HOW you can win prizes like fabulous vacations and travel gear
• WHERE the money goes

PWP Ingredients

We are so fortunate to be able to read and to be able to travel. And I feel fortunate to help to repay the universe by joining with other travel bloggers to raise money to build a village in India. The organizers are Debbie Dubrow (Delicious Baby), Beth Whitman (Wanderlust and Lipstick), Michelle Duffy (Wandermom) and Pam Mandel (NerdsEyeView), but dozens of bloggers will be participating. (The founders say they do their planning over cupcakes, so I think of them as the 4 Cupcakes. All those other bloggers are just frosting on the cake.)

Let me tell you that quartet is pretty amazing.  The first year, they raised $7,000 for Heifer International, one of my very favorite charities. I had just started blogging and wasn’t able to sponsor a prize, but I spent lots of $10 bills and won a couple of nice things.

Last year, I couldn’t wait to participate as a blogger sponsor, because the recipient country was Cambodia, a favorite destination of ours. The 4 Cupcakes set a seemingly impossible goal of $14,000 to build a school in Cambodia. Except that we all raised $30,000 instead. So the school got a nurse, clean water and  extra bookshelves. I couldn’t be happier to show you pictures of the result.

So…$7,000; then $30,000; (you can see where this is going, right? )…

The Cake is Rising

This year the 4 Cupcakes decided that one building is mere crumbs. This year, they said, we’re gonna build a VILLAGE in India.  The goal is $50,000, which will build 25 homes for people who never dared dream they would have a house to call their own. Passports Village in Karunganni, located in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.

The money raised goes directly to the humanitarian organization LAFTI (Land for Tiller’s Freedom). That organization has won many humanitarian awards for its work with the people called untouchables in India.

A Traveler’s Library prizes

WIN A STAY IN NEW ORLEANS

Hotel Monteleone

Would you like to win a two-night stay in New Orleans? This year the return donor Hotel Monteleone, includes welcome cocktails in the famous Carousel Lounge and breakfast for two. Get ready to party in New Orleans. When Ken and I go to New Orleans, this is our first choice hotel. (The fine print: Three  day, Two night stay in deluxe accommodations at the historic Hotel Monteleone located in the heart of the French Quarter, New Orleans (room charges only, excluding Friday and Saturday nights).  The package also includes a welcome cocktail for (2) at the famous Carousel Bar, and American breakfast for (2) daily in Le Café.)

G-normous thanks to the classy Hotel Monteleone for their generous donation, second year in a row. What pals!

WIN A DUDE RANCH VACATION

The horse corral at Rancho de los Caballeros

And if New Orleans isn’t your style, how about a three-night vacation for two at a luxurious guest ranch in Arizona?  Rancho de los Caballeros provides a prize package worth about $1500, including all meals for two and riding activities. Ken and I stayed there recently and trust me, whether you ride or not, this is an awesome place. (The fine print: The ranch choses from the end of May through the first week of October, and this stay excludes the months of March and April. Activities other than riding may incur extra charges. See web site for details). This gorgeous ranch will welcome you because of the generosity of the owners and the manager who hosted me and then made this offer. Thank you for your amazing generosity.

Recipe for Success

I know you’re already getting packed for your trip, so quickly, let me tell you how to win. Go to the Passports With Purpose web site and donate $10 to LAFTI for each time you want to be entered into a drawing. Put all your money on one prize, or spread it out–your choice.  And it will not be easy choosing.  Chocolate, vanilla, banana, caramel, carrot cake—oh, sorry, that’s cupcakes.  I meant to say more than 100 prizes to choose from. Contest starts today and closes end of the day on DECEMBER 13th, 2010.

See all the prizes and make your choices at Passports With Purpose web site.

Read more about Hotel Monteleone.

Read more about Rancho de los Caballeros

Thank you sponsors:

• BootsnAll,
• LiveMocha,
• Round the World with Us,
• HomeAway,
• Traveller’s Point,
• Hostelling International,
• Quintess,
• Raveable,
• TravelPost,
• Uptake.

Those companies have donated from $1000 to $10000 to LAFTI already. Because of them, we were more than half way to the goal on day one. Check them out and say thank you.

So after you click over to Passports With Purpose, and check out LAFTI and choose your favorite prizes, then come on back and tell us what you chose. Okay?

Vote for my article on WorldTravelist.com, sharing the best travel content on the web.

Tags: BlogSherpa, Cambodia, Hotel Monteleone, India, LAFTI, Passports With Purpose, Rancho de los Caballeros, Tamil-Nadu