Win a Night at the Woodmark Hotel and Build a Village in India.

I have a long-standing love affair with the Woodmark Hotel in Kirkland WA. Just across the bridge from Seattle, it's a lakefront getaway without all the hassle of a long drive, and my husband and I have take advantage of that (at our own expense) when we just need an overnight break. The rooms are comforting and restful, the location is beautiful, and even the hotel restaurant is fabulous. Plus, here's a fun tip - there's a "secret" downstairs library where you can "Raid-the-Pantry" for a late night snack.

Guess what? The Woodmark Hotel has generously contributed a "Spin the Bottle" hotel package ($380 value) to Passports With Purpose, the annual travelblogger's fundraiser, and you can enter to win it! Here's how it works, when you make a $10 or more tax-deductible contribution directly to LAFTI through Passports with Purpose you are entered to win a random drawing for one of our fabulous prizes. You can donate more to get more prize entries. Your money goes directly to LAFTI to help build a village in India. That's what I call a "win-win." Even if you wouldn't be able to use this prize, you should check out the full prize list.

More about The "Spin The Bottle" package
Enjoy overnight accommodations in a lakefront guestroom. Includes a welcome gift, one complimentary in-room movie, $100 dining credit, guaranteed late check out, and Raid-the-Pantry for late night snacks. The total value of this package is $380

More about Passports With Purpose

When I helped co-found the Passports With Purpose fundraiser three years ago, it seemed like a great way to give back, a nice way to build community and fun project to do with some gals I really admire (Pam Mandel, Beth Whitman, and Michelle Duffy). We have been absolutely blown away by the level of support we've gotten from the travel community and from our blog readers, and we are so proud and excited to be able to do this again for a third year.

Last year, you helped us blow past our goal of raising $14,000 to build a school in Cambodia in just a few days. In the end we raised almost $30,000 which let us add improvements beyond the basic building. A year later, the school has been built, and students are already attending classes! You can read more about the school here

More about LAFTI
The charity we have selected this year is very special.  A few years ago I watch Krishnammal Jagannathan win the OPUS prize, an international humanitarian award. I was inspired by her history and her work (and you will be too if you watch this video.

Since then, I've hoped to find a way to help out, and this year we will do that.  Krishnammal has been working in India for over 50 years to gain land rights for the "untouchables."  Historically, untouchables were not able to own land, and squatted on the land they worked.  There was simply no way for an individual or a family to advance themselves.  The laws have changed, but in such a poor country, reversing the injustice done to these families takes a much longer time.  We have a chance to help.  This year, through our partnership with LAFTI (Krishnammal's organization) we will raise $50,000 and build an entire village for Dalit in Karunganni, located in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.  Think about that for a moment.  That's a gift that will change the course of their family histories.  It's simply amazing to me that we can do this $10 at a time, and I hope you will help by visiting Passports With Purpose and making a donation.

Thank You to Sponsors
We've been so lucky this year to have the help and support of many corporate sponsors. Each sponsor makes a donation directly to LAFTI to help build the Passports With Purpose village. Quite simply, we couldn't do this without them and I hope you'll take a moment to check out what they're doing.

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BootsnAll is a travelers community focused on independent travel. They're also lovely people, and I'm lucky to see them often since this is a Pacific Northwest based company. You should definitely check them out.

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Filed Under: blogging passports-with-purpose

1 comment | Posted on November 16, 2010 | Save to del.icio.us

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