Dreading the doldrums of winter already? Instead of hibernating til spring, you could spend two weeks this January volunteering, surfing, and exploring private beaches, all while living in a beach side cottage just outside of Canoa, Ecuador. The Eco Surf Volunteer program matches volunteers with local elementary schools where they work hard teaching the kids English through games, activities and sports. But, they also find time to play hard. Each afternoon volunteers are taken to the area's best surf spots to catch some waves before going on a local excursion to meet indigenous tribes, visit re-forested mangrove islands or explore animal sanctuaries.

The daily schedule for the trip begins at 7:00 AM when breakfast is served before heading to a local school. There is a lunch break from Noon- 2:00 PM, which is when the afternoon surf lessons begin, followed by dinner at 7. Volunteers also have the option to take a free, private surf lesson from Ecuador's Junior Surf Champion and his team. Each night, Eco Surf also plans social activities like beach parties, bonfires or salsa dancing. ]]> cmb 2009-11-18T12:35:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/11/11/1105/0158

If you've been looking for a way to give back to the men and women of the armed services, look to The Fisher House Foundation. As a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting America's military in their time of need, they're always looking for donated frequent flyer miles. The Hero Miles program allows passengers to donate their frequent flyer miles to service members and their families.

Fisher House specifically uses the donated miles to provide free airline tickets to military men and women who are being treated at a military or VA medical center due to an injury they sustained in Iraq or Afghanistan. The purchased plane tickets provide these men and women with the ability to visit home on an approved leave, or for their families to come to them.

The Fisher House works with several airlines including AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Midwest Airlines, Northwest Airlines, United Airlines, and US Airways for the Heroes Miles program. To donate, you can visit Fisher House's website or the individual airlines and request information about donating your miles. ]]> cmb 2009-11-11T11:30:22-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/11/4/1127/63208

Whether it was because of a family road trip or National Geographic, most of us were inspired to become travelers at an early age. Now, the non-profit Project Explorer is bringing that inspiration to the classroom and exposing kids of all ages to different places around the planet. Their website, ProjectExplorer.org, provides free virtual field trips that include information about everything from the history to the culture and cuisines of far off locations around the globe. Their current trips include Jordan, Shakespearean England, South Africa, and a visit to Malaysia is also in the works.

To further their mission, Project Explorer is asking leaders, visionaries, public figures, children and the general public to answer one question: What does being a good global citizen mean to you? You can share your answer by becoming a member of Good Global Citizen. Well you are there, you can also watch inspiring videos by others who have already answered Project Explorer's call including Andrew Zimmern, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Russell Simmons, Allison Janney, Ziggy Marley, Dulé Hill, Paul Rudd and Mario Batali.

Check out their website for more information about how you can get involved or donate to Project Explorer.

Related Stories:
· Project Explorer [Official Site]
· Travel the World Virtually with ProjectExplorer.org [Wandering Educators]
· Volunteer Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Good Global Citizen] ]]> cmb 2009-11-04T15:09:21-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/29/104024/01

If you're already thinking about where to take the family on vacation next year and want a trip that includes adventure, giving back and activities everyone will enjoy, we may have found the perfect option. Adventures in Preservation, a non-profit group dedicated to saving the world’s architectural heritage, is planning its first hands-on building conservation workshop in which the entire family can participate. The workshop will be held in the historic mining town of Nevada City, Montana, June 20-26, 2010.

During the workshop, participants will learn and practice building preservation techniques and then put those skills to work. Activities include learning how to mix and apply historic exterior finishes as well as practicing chinking and daubing techniques that keep the wind from blowing through log walls. ]]> cmb 2009-10-30T13:09:19-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/21/102917/54

If you've watched any network TV this week you may have felt the sudden urge to do good. That's because the networks have teamed up with iParticipate—an industry-wide initiative aimed at urging viewers to participate in volunteerism—to include story lines that spotlight community service. That's also why the photo shoot on last week's Ugly Betty had a Nothing But Net theme and why Kenneth the page is going to try to adopt all of the dogs at a local shelter on Thursday's night's episode of 30 Rock. Not only will your favorite shows have a "do good" theme but the commercials will too. Several A-Listers, like Gwyneth Paltrow and Matthew Mcconaughey, have taped ads for iParticpate reminding us that by helping others, we help ourselves.

But the Entertainment Industry Foundation, who is spearheading the initiative, isn't just spreading the message through TV, they have also scheduled several star-studded events this week to encourage people to get involved in their community. For instance, today, ABC’s Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba will donate her time along with more than 50 volunteers for a day of service at the Three Square Food Bank in Las Vegas beginning at 10:30 AM. ]]> cmb 2009-10-21T11:18:41-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/20/131824/55

Wilderness experts teach campers to leave a place better than they found it. A tour group responsible for more than half of all Westerners visiting North Korea has taken that sentiment to heart, asking travelers to donate to help children in the impoverished, often aid-rejecting country.

Koryo co-founders Josh Green and Nicholas Bonner, both Brits, came up with the idea for the company when Green was working for a shipping company in Pyongyang in the early '90s. Using his connections, they were able to connect with the Korea International Travel Company, an official government agency that ushers foreigners in and out of the DPRK, and now contribute to the Pyongyang International Film Festival and produce documentaries as well as leading tours. ]]> egw 2009-10-20T14:28:40-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/13/101042/52

Usually, volunteer vacations are about helping the needy, but for some, they can also have a political agenda. Last year, Travel for Change helped send over 400 volunteers to swing states to work for the Barack Obama campaign. Now, they are helping send volunteers to Maine, where voters will take to the ballot box next month and decide whether to overturn a law that allows same-sex couples to wed. "Question 1," as it is being called, is similar to Prop 8, a same-sex marriage ban eventually approved by voters in California last year.

Travel for Change is working with the No on Question 1 campaign to get volunteers from across the country to Maine to work for marriage equality. The organization is raising funds and airline miles, matching volunteers to share rooms and cars, and placing them in appropriate jobs once they arrive in Maine. ]]> cmb 2009-10-13T12:03:37-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/