The Story of Our Bear Cares
Since 1946, Cruise West has conducted up-close encounters with Native and local cultures in the places we travel. We have always been conscientious of the impact we can and do make on the places and people we visit. Together, with the caring involvement of our guests, we are committed to making a positive impact on the health and well-being of the environment and local cultures we encounter. We place resources and actions behind our goals to teach and assure responsible travel practices that protect the natural state of the environment, improve the well-being of the local people, provide financial and material resources to preserve local cultures and help provide for their medical and educational needs. We started out with one charitable effort but our goal is to begin supporting a local effort in every region that we travel.
In 1999, Cruise West’s first year of operation in Mexico, Chairman & Managing Director, Dick West, and his family brought a suitcase full of toys, and hair accessories on their Sea of Cortés trip. They visited an orphanage in La Paz where they were struck by the very stark conditions and the fact that although the children were clean and fed, there were very limited supplies and furnishings. All the children seemed happy and adjusted, but they were living without some very basic things. Mr. West noted there was not even a mirror for them to see how beautiful they were. Some of the very basic items unavailable to these children Cruise West felt we could supply.
The experience of giving at the La Paz Orphanage spawned a more widespread feeling of charitable giving and desire by Cruise West to give back to the areas that we touch. For La Paz, things are brought for the orphanage every time we visit. One year it was 100 toothbrushes and toothpastes, one year, enough silverware so the children could all eat at the same time. Every time the ship leaves the La Paz area all the surplus food is given to the orphanage, as well as spare Mexican change collected onboard.
The desire to support charitable giving spread in the company. In 2000, Seattle Cruise West corporate office employees adopted Childhaven as their charity of choice, participating in Back-to-School drives, adopting families at Christmas and sharing in the St. Patrick’s Day box lunch program. In 2002, guests in Panama & Costa Rica donated spare change to help buy medical and school supplies for the Emberá village and the Kuna Indians. The following year guests purchased desks and a chalkboard for the village school. Also in 2002 Alaska cruising guests were asked to bring school supplies, fabric, and ribbon scraps to donate to the Chuckchi people.
But Cruise West wanted to do more. In 2004, we began creating and selling photo CDs from the cruises to the cruise guests, with half the money going to charity. Currently the money raised is going to three different sources. CD profits from the Sea of Cortés itinerary continue to go to the La Paz Orphanage. Profits from the Central America itineraries go to the Emberá village of Playa del Muerto.
For the Columbia & Snake Rivers cruises, beginning in 2007, the profits are going to the Northwest Regional Education Service District, earmarked for the children of migrant workers. In Alaska, funds are supporting the Petersburg Marine Mammal Center Intern Program for whale research, and in the South Pacific medical and educational supplies are purchased and delivered to various islands like Tikopia. We are currently in the process of reviewing additional new agencies to support in our various destinations.
Our stated goal is to provide financial and material resources to preserve local cultures. Our guests have totally gotten behind this endeavor. They have even initiated projects on their own. In 2006, two couples on the Copper Canyon land tour donated money for carving tools for the Tarahumara Indians. Other guests in Costa Rica & Panama donated soccer shoes and equipment to the Emberá people. The La Paz Orphanage received even more gifts this last January when Cruise West guests celebrated Three Kings Day with the children, bringing wrapped gifts for them and monetary donations to the Padre there, who will purchase much needed basics. The orphanage now does have mirrors!
Cruise West is committed to continuing and expanding the financial and material resources we have begun to contribute. We have formed a committee to interact with the charities and locate new opportunities for sharing in all our destinations. Our guests delight in seeing where they can make a difference in the lives of some charming, grateful people. We make sure that our contributions are used for basic needs, not things that would alter the culture in an adverse way.
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