We All Can Be a Helping Hand
By Melody Fee, OSSN Vice President

It's been a monumental month here in the sunshine state, to say the least! But sometimes tough times bring us a better opportunity to "tune in" to what is really important. And although we at OSSN have always feel that our members come first, when it comes to our time and attention, this month our neighbors came first….the ones without power, sometimes without ice to refrigerate food, sometimes without roofs to keep the moisture ( pouring rain) off of their heads. So priorities got shifted for several weeks and we are so thankful that our members understood the real dilemma that we Floridians faced together. I am thankful for even the smallest generator that we bought at the last moment before hurricane Jeanne and for the gasoline operated chain saws that helped the guys on our block to clear the many BIG trees that fell across the street we live on . I am also thankful for our advertising executive Sal Donato, who also weathered out the same storm that we did and brought us more ice and some of his great Italian cooking when our supplies were running low!

I have to say that it still does not look like the paradise that one expects when they arrive in OUR beautiful area of Jupiter….lots of debris that we are not sure where to dispose of…lots of tired folks that have had to prepare for one too many storms and are trying to clean up. I want to believe that by the Thanksgiving holiday, we WILL look like that lovely paradise again and we will remember again, how lucky we are to have such close friends that looked out for us and those who sent us messages to see that we were OK
(from as far away as New Zealand!)

More importantly, we know that we are lucky that our tourism will thrive again very soon. After all, ALL of our ports are open and booming, and even Mickey Mouse has came out of his house to welcome tourists again! And Orlando was not overlooked in this windblown mess. But not all of our Caribbean Island nations are as lucky and it is so sad to know what their losses have been to life and shelter. It has to make us think about how we can help others in this crisis and in others.

We all have our charitable causes that we feel are worthwhile and sometimes we know just how to get involved in trying to raise funds to help or how to actually be a part of an organization that is helping important causes. But many times, we as travel agents, may not think about how valuable our profession really can be in the area of contributing to wonderful causes. Fundraising….a major area of travel organizing… A lucrative way to meet the needs of so many by getting involved in theses causes.

I have met several OSSN members who are involved in fundraising activities with groups that they have organized trips for regularly. There are so many great ways to get involved. The medical community needs help; the churches need help, as well. They all have causes that they would be most willing to help you promote with your ability to organize travel at a special rate that includes some fundraising money added into the cost of the trip. In fact, OSSN has one member whose agency in called "Cruises for Causes" who got into the industry strictly to arrange fundraising cruise groups.

I really think that we all have the ability to offer our services to groups and organizations that have needs to be met and at the same time, we do what we do best….organize their travel and make a profit with them and FOR them.

I would like to hear what other members have to say and I will post a question on the OSSN Bulletin board for you to respond to. If you prefer, you can email me at mfee@bellsouth.net with your ideas. I will place these ideas and suggestions in some of our OSSN Daily updates to share with other members with your permission. AND if you are looking for other agents to also promote some fundraising activities with you, then we can assist with getting the word out to other OSSN members.

If you are not sure where to start, talk with other members, with your District Sales Managers at the cruise lines or tour operators and ask some of them what types of fundraising groups they have worked with before. But something tells me that each of you have a cause that is important to you that you have just been waiting to develop into a travel opportunity…and fundraising can be that key!

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