Deep Blue Adventures is extremely proud to announce its newest program, Good Will Diving, a new branch of Deep Blue Adventures dedicated to bringing together divers with organizations or people in need. In addition to facilitating Deep Blue Adventures corporate contributions, Good Will Diving will organize and participate in various benefits, fundraisers and educational programs, and provide a place where anyone interested in assisting or contributing to a need can find information on a cause in which to participate.
While Good Will Diving will participate in numerous fundraising throughout the year, Deep Blue Adventures will highlight one specific cause for a set time to maximize the potential awareness and participation. Charities and foundations are welcome to suggest their own causes and individuals or dive stores are also encouraged to highlight a need they would like to see supported.
Cheryl Patterson of Deep Blue Adventures states the Good Will Diving program was created as both a way to better serve the benefits the company already participates in as well as providing a source for divers who also want to help in some way. “Divers are a very community-oriented group of people and we often have many clients asking what they can do to help. Sometimes it is the form of taking school supplies or other much needed items to a place they are visiting, other times it is looking to offer aid during a disaster or making a financial contribution. We have always provided this information whenever it has been requested, but we wanted more people to know they have a reliable contact point. There are many more of our customers that did not know until they arrive at their destination that even a few simple items that could easily fit in their bag would have made all the difference and they wished they would have known before they embarked on their trip. We are looking to increase this awareness. Additionally, our team are all already very actively involved in various charities and we try to support various programs whenever we can, such as Diabetes Youth Services, Dive For The Cure and IAHD. We want charities, foundations and those in need to know they can come to Deep Blue Adventures and that we want to be involved. As a small company, we can only achieve so much, but combined with the efforts and involvement of others, we can make an incredible impact”.
November will mark the official beginning of Good Will Diving, and for this Deep Blue Adventures is highlighting the need for eye glasses for Fijian Villagers.
Patterson explains “We chose this cause for a number of reasons. As divers and travelers we experience many wonderful aspects of the countries we visit. We often fall in love with the surroundings, the food, the culture and of course what we find there beneath the surface. More often than not, the people are what touches us the most and deepens our experiences. We felt that highlighting a need of some of the warmest people we have ever met in one of our top-selling destinations would be an appropriate place to start. This is also something everyone can be involved in – we are not asking for money, we are asking for something very simple that many people are able to give – used or old reading eye glasses. Kids and teens can be just as involved as adults and no one has to dig deep in their pockets – that’s part of what Good Will Diving is all about. While foundations often desperately need financial support, and we will always encourage and be part of that, many of us are not aware that we can often make a huge difference in someone’s lives without it costing a penny. Finally, another reason we selected this program is it struck a very personal chord with one of our team members.
Terri Huber, Senior Sales Representative with Deep Blue Adventures explains. “One night, during my recent trip to Fiji, I was chatting after dinner with another guest and Matava resort owner, Richard Akhtar. During our conversation, the subject of the needs of the Fijian Villagers came up and Richard immediately responded without hesitation, eye glasses. Having traveled to many remote diving destinations around the world and being welcomed and treated graciously by the locals we have thought of a small gesture to say "thank you". We as divers visit and enjoy these far off countries and return home with long lasting memories, photos, and souvenirs. So, why not give back a little to help out the remote villages of Fiji?”
While the glasses will be distributed to various villages in need across the country, Matava Resort on Kadavu who operates the Matava Foundation has agreed to assist Deep Blue Adventures in their first Good Will Diving venture by providing a contact point in Fiji and facilitating in getting the glasses to those that need it most. Organizations such as clubs or schools that participate in the Eyes For Fiji Program and elect to take a group to the resort will receive a Meke from the village, with an official handing over ceremony to the elders of the village as part of their week at Matava, a truly memorable experience.
Those not attending DEMA can still contribute to this effort simply by mailing in reading glasses, but Deep Blue Adventures is willing to absorb the postage costs involved if a donor emailsGoodWillDiving@deepblueadventures.com or calls 888-266-2209 and requests a self-addressed, postage paid envelope. They are also encouraging dive stores, clubs, schools, scouts, business and other organizations to consider becoming a collection point for Eyes for Fiji and engaging their local community in an effort on a larger scale. Once the glasses are received any interested donors will be issued a $50 travel voucher as a thank you for their donation. Glasses collected will be sent on a regular and ongoing basis to the islands through the company’s various contacts.
All vouchers will be distributed electronically due to conservation efforts also being made by the company.
More information is available on Deep Blue Adventures’ website and the same contact information above can also be used for other causes, efforts or questions regarding Good Will Diving. You may also connect with the team on their new FaceBook page, all of whom are excited to begin working with fellow divers and travelers in this unprecedented program immediately.
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