Theme Park Change puts a theme park twist on giving

by Joel Bullock on

Theme Park Change is a new charity that encourages theme park fans to donate to a great cause. Donors can give in amounts similar to what they would spend at an amusement park. For example, you can make a $5 donation which in an amusement park is about the price of a funnel cake. There are eight levels of giving that represent items ranging from a soda all the way up to a season pass.

All proceeds go to Project Angel Food, a charity whose mission is to care for men, women, and children afflicted with life-threatening illnesses like cancer and HIV/AIDS. Every person who donates $10 or more will be entered in a drawing where they could win theme park tickets and other prizes.

You can give through April 30th and read more about this program at Theme Park Change’s website. Also, here’s a video about the charity featuring Neil Patrick Harris.

Flying Kites Adventure Challenges: Give back on your next trip

by Kraig Becker on

Travelers looking to add a new dimension to their next journey may want to check out the Flying Kites Adventure Challenges, which are a series of great adventure travel opportunities that allow you to visit some fantastic destinations, while raising funds for charity at the same time.

Organized by Flying Kites, a non-profit that is dedicated to improving the standards for childcare in some of the poorest nations in the world, the adventure challenges are an intriguing prospect to say the least. The process starts with travelers selecting their adventure of choice from a list of five options. From there, they pledge to raise a certain amount of funds for Flying Kites, and once they reach that goal, the entire trip is payed for including airfare, guides, accommodations, and so on.

The list of challenges include climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa and trekking to Everest Base Camp in Nepal, both of which require a $6000 fundraising goal. There are also two options for surfing in Nicaragua with an 8-day itinerary costing $2300 and a 10-day version requiring a $2500 commitment. Photographers and wildlife enthusiasts will no doubt be intrigued by the Kenya Film Expedition, which comes with a fundraising target of $7500, while runners and endurance athletes will want to compete in the North Face Endurance Challenge this May.

The fundraising goals are certainly reasonable, and attainable, for anyone who sets their mind to it. Most of those trips can obviously be done for less money on your own, but in this case, you not only get a fantastic travel experience, but also the added benefit of giving a little something back in the process. Great adventure travel combined with the chance to improve the lives of children in the places we visit? Sign me up!


Flying Kites – Adventure Challenges – Kilimanjaro/Nicaragua from Flying Kites on Vimeo.

U.S. hotels donate hotel room rates to charity

by Melanie Nayer on

It feels good to give back, and at Gadling, we’re always eager to showcase hotels that do good. Case in point: Sage Hospitality. During the first two weeks of February 2011, each of the 53 Sage hotels across the country will run “While You Were Sleeping” promotions, which donate overnight rates on randomly selected rooms to the guest’s choice of charity.

From Feb. 1-14, 2011, each Sage property will choose four guests at random, and each guest’s room rate will be donated to a charity. The guest will be offered the opportunity to select a beneficiary from a list of renowned charities compiled by Sage Hospitality including FoodforthePoor.org, Volunteers of America, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters, World Vision and UNICEF.
Hotels participating in the promotion include:

Alabama: Courtyard Mobile Spanish Fort/Eastern Shore in Spanish Fort, Ala.; Fairfield Inn & Suites Mobile Spanish Fort/Eastern Shore in Spanish Fort, Ala.

Arizona: Sheraton Airport Hotel Tempe in Tempe, Ariz.; Sheraton Tucson Hotel and Suites in Tucson, Ariz.

California: Courtyard Los Angeles Pasadena/Monrovia in Monrovia, Calif.; Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Downtown in San Diego, Calif.; Homewood Suites by Hilton SFO Airport North in Brisbane, Calif.; Del Mar Hilton San Diego in Del Mar, Calif.

Colorado: The Curtis, a Doubletree Hotel, in Denver, Colo.; Courtyard by Marriott Denver Downtown in Denver, Colo.; Hilton Garden Inn Denver South/Meridian in Englewood, Colo.; JW Marriott Denver at Cherry Creek in Denver, Colo.; The Oxford Hotel in Denver, Colo.; Pueblo Marriott in Pueblo, Colo.; Denver Airport Marriott at Gateway Park in Denver, Colo.; Residence Inn by Marriott Denver City Center in Denver, Colo.; TownePlace Suites by Marriott Boulder Broomfield in Broomfield, Colo.; TownePlace Suites by Marriott Colorado Springs in Colorado Springs, Colo.; TownePlace Suites by Marriott Denver Downtown in Denver, Colo.; TownePlace Suites by Marriott Denver Southeast in Denver, Colo.; TownePlace Suites by Marriott Littleton Southwest in Littleton, Colo.; TownePlace Suites by Marriott Denver Tech Center in Englewood, Colo.; TownePlace Suites by Marriott Denver West Federal Center in Golden, Colo.; The Westin Westminster in Westminster, Colo.

Florida: Hilton Garden Inn Orlando at SeaWorld International Center in Orlando, Fla.

Georgia: Doubletree Hotel NE/Northlake in Atlanta, Ga.; Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta Perimeter Center in Atlanta, Ga.; Glenn Hotel in Atlanta, Ga.

Illinois: Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel in Chicago, Ill.; Chicago’s Essex Inn in Chicago, Ill.; Hilton Garden Inn Hoffman Estates in Hoffman Estates, Ill.;

Michigan: Courtyard by Marriott in Brighton, Mich.; Courtyard by Marriott in Lansing, Mich.; The Baronette Renaissance in Novi, Mich.

Minnesota: Crown Plaza Hotel Minneapolis North in Minneapolis, Minn.; Fairfield Inn by Marriott in Duluth, Minn.

Mississippi: Courtyard Biloxi North/D’lberville in D’lberville, Miss.

Nevada: Fairfield Inn by Marriott Las Vegas Airport – Las Vegas, N.V.

North Carolina: Charlotte Marriott Executive Park in Charlotte, N.C.

Ohio: Crowne Plaza Cincinnati North in Cincinnati, Ohio;

Oregon: the Nines, The Luxury Collection, Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Portland, Ore.; Courtyard by Marriott – Portland City Center in Portland, Ore.

Pennsylvania: Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Rhode Island: Renaissance Providence Hotel in Providence, R.I.

Texas: Hilton College Station and Conference Center in College Station, Texas; Hampton Inn Six Flags in San Antonio, Texas; Houston Holiday Inn South Loop in Houston, Texas

Utah: Marriott Ogden Hotel in Ogden, Utah

Washington: Courtyard Seattle in Seattle, Wash.; Hawthorn Suites in Kent, Wash.; Holiday Inn Renton in Renton, Wash.

Wisconsin: Residence Inn by Marriott Milwaukee Downtown in Milwaukee, Wis.

Get more information on While You Were Sleeping

Donate to Passports With Purpose & win travel prizes

by Mike Barish on

Last month, we told you about Gadling’s participation in Passports With Purpose and their efforts to build a village in India. Every donation that you make allows you to bid on some fantastic travel prizes. From roundtrip airline vouchers to amazing vacations to some impressive gear, you could win some incredible prizes all for a simple $10 donation to Friends of LAFTI.

It’s a truly wonderful cause and Passports With Purpose makes everything incredibly easy. Simply head to their donation page, choose the items on which you would like to bid and then process your donation. Quick, secure and simple as could be.

The campaign ends this coming Monday (December 13), so don’t delay. Donate now for a chance to win those prizes. Our suggestion? Bid on the $250 SkyMall gift card that Gadling is giving away. Imagine what you could buy with that!

Kimpton’s Hotel Monaco Chicago throws week long gift exchange for charity

by Melanie Nayer on

We love the holiday season, not just for the fun of the decorations and excitement of Santa’s arrival, but for the innate kindness that seems to seep from people this time of year. Couple that kindness with the efforts of hotels partnering with charitable organizations and you’ve got the making for a great holiday season.

To celebrate the holiday season and show just how fun the spirit of giving can be, Kimpton’s Hotel Monaco will host a week long White Elephant Charity Gift Exchange with proceeds to benefit Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital (CCMH).

Holiday givers are invited to bring an unwrapped gift to the lobby of Kimpton’s Hotel Monaco Chicago; in exchange, the holiday giver will then choose their own present from among those previously exchanged. For each gift exchanged, the Monaco Chicago will make a $2 donation to CCMH. In addition to the monetary donation, the Monaco Chicago will also hold a drive to collect gift cards for families at CCMH, a welcomed surprise for families in need during the holiday season.The Monaco Chicago has decided to shake things up and throw in a few exciting gifts of its own, including airfare and accommodations to any Kimpton hotel in the country.

Here’s how the exchange works:

  • The holiday giver brings in an unwrapped, unopened gift (price range $10 to $20) to the Hotel Monaco Chicago lobby during specified times. A Monaco team member will then review the gift and wrap the present.
  • The holiday giver selects a different gift from among those previously exchanged. The giver can choose to accept that gift or select ONE final other. If rejected, the first gift is placed back with the other gifts.
  • Hint: Individuals who donate a gift card will receive one more round at the gift exchange.
  • For each gift provided, the Hotel Monaco will donate $2 to Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital.
  • Every holiday giver has an equal chance to win any Kimpton hotel around the country.

Doesn’t giving feel good?