Written by Marketing Intern Rose Provine
Cathy and Bill Huckaby came up with a brilliant idea to combine vacations with volunteering, something that had never been thought of before. The Lodi, California natives were on a cruise ship in the Caribbean when they decided that something was missing on their trip.
The cruise stopped in St. Thomas, a port city in the Caribbean, and the Huckabys were on a bus to explore the city. Two middle-aged women were sitting in front of the couple, conversing about their daily plans. They sounded bored and settled on shopping, since there wasn’t much more to do in the small town.
Mrs. Huckaby stepped off the bus and started wandering around, walking past expensive watches, jewelry and clothing stores. She continued to walk for a few more blocks until she came across children playing in slum conditions, and across the street was a local Salvation Army thrift store. It was in that moment that she knew she had an idea that could make a difference. She scurried back to her husband to share her idea.
Now, months later, the Huckabys are ready to put their plan to action. They decided to call this adventure “Hope Floats,” solely for people who enjoy combining both leisure and volunteerism. The idea is to have cruise ship passengers spend a few hours in port to volunteer in any way. This can be work at a local non-profit organization, helping with construction, caring for stray animals, helping to feed the homeless, etc. The idea is very appealing, as most passengers on cruises wander aimlessly around during their time on shore spending money.
The first Hope Floats cruise will sail out of Puerto Rico on April 17 with a handful of eager volunteers. It will last five days and participants will be asked to volunteer at least two of the five days. The cost varies, but will be approximately $2,200 - $3,500 per couple, exclusive of air fare.
Have a relaxing, enjoyable vacation with the opportunity to give back. For more information, visit http://hopefloats.org/
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