Dunedin, FL, July 6, 2011 – Beso Del Sol Resort in Dunedin, Florida has recently become the permanent host for the Blooming Luau, a fundraising event benefiting Blooming Place for Kids, a unique non-profit organization committed to enriching the lives of neglected and abused at-risk foster children by providing them with a relationship-building summer camping experience.
Last year, Beso Del Sol Resort hosted the first Blooming Luau, raising $10,000 in donations for the Blooming Place for Kids organization. The event was so successful the resort hosted its second event this summer, attended by 250 people, generating $63,000 to send kids to camp. Participation came from some well-known Tampa companies and philanthropists, including the Chris T. Sullivan Foundation, Ed and Cindy DeBartolo, Ed and Marsha Droste, the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team, and Friendly KIA auto dealership. Le Roy Selmons sponsored the food for the Polynesian-themed Blooming Luau.
The event was held at the 80-unit Beso Del Sol Resort, just north of Clearwater on Florida’s West Coast. The resort is one of five Global Connections, Inc. (GCI) company-owned and managed resorts. GCI is a nationally respected travel club fulfillment company in the vacation industry.
After learning of the organization and its work, GCI President Tom Lyons said, “The Blooming Kids foundation is a tremendous advocate for foster children. They provide opportunities few foster kids could even dream of enjoying. We are proud to support their cause by offering our resort for their event.”
Founded in 2001 by Jan Horn and husband Calvin, Blooming Place for Kids provides a one-week junior summer camp for ages 8-11 and a two-week senior summer camp for ages 12-15. Camp costs are about $800 per child. Campers experience constructive mental and physical activities while building self-confidence and making new friends. They replace the adversity in their lives with laughter, friendships, and excitement.
“We started work on the second Blooming Luau seven months before it took place,” added Horn. “The Beso Del Sol Resort and its management team, including Operations Manager Sadie Ruiz, worked tirelessly and with joy to ensure the success of our luau. Our organization and the children who benefited are eternally thankful for their tremendous support.”
Jan Horn’s passion for working with children led her to create and develop Blooming Place for Kids. Her experience in working with children is a result of her 20-year career with children’s behavioral and educational programs such as the Special Olympics, YMCA youth camps, and special education school programs.
Explained Horn, “Blooming Place for Kids also has a Leadership Program for kids who transition out of the program after age 15. This program allows them to continue to enhance their life skills because when they turn 18 they no longer are in the system...they are on their own with few life skills.”
As a leader in the travel club industry, Global Connections provides its 170,000 Global Discovery Vacations travel club members with a host of benefits and vacationing options. Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, GCI is the owner and/or developer of five resorts in California, Colorado, Florida and Tennessee and also owns multiple resort condominium units in Florida, Hawaii, Missouri, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. For more information visit http://www.besodelsolresort.com/, http://www.exploregci.com/ and https://www.globaldiscoveryvacations.com/staticpages/visitors/index.asp.
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