Hero Holiday

Over the past five years of working in this area, we have helped to construct two schools, several houses, a medical clinic, facilitated sports camps, community parties, free medical clinics, and health seminars. While with us, each participant can expect to rotate through our project sites (a list of potential projects is below). We want you to have a wide range of experience and to play a part in all of the work that is being done there by Hero Holiday. Each participant gets to be a part of a team that sweats and labors together to build what will help to bring hope and a future to families and communities!

• Building Projects: - Each person can expect to be a part of building a school, house or medical clinic.





• Community Connection Projects: - Experience the opportunity to get to know the community you are joining hands with: play dominoes, get your butt kicked in soccer or basketball, help to distribute food and gifts, and most of all, to celebrate the friendships and the time spent together. And best of all, we end our trip with a community party!


• Orphanage Visit: - Take an afternoon and spend time with some of the country's most forgotten - but now celebrated - children. Hero Holiday has the privilege of working with Mustard Seed Childrens' Home for Mentally and Physically Disabled Children. While at Mustard Seed Childrens' Home we help the staff to serve lunch and play with the children. Warning: these children will steal your heart!


• "In Their Shoes Work Experience": - Imagine being able to step into someone else's shoes (if they actually owned a pair!). What would it be like to work daily in a garbage dump, desperately seeking ways to support your family? Hero Holiday works alongside of an incredible community of Haitian people who have no choice but to do this every day. During this experience, we provide a safe and practical way to help to greatly increase the daily earnings for a family entrenched in poverty. By assisting them to find recyclable materials that they are able to get payment for, we are able to experience life from their perspective and realize the power of dignity and hope.


• RELAX! - Hero Holiday also recognizes that part of our name is HOLIDAY! Each team member will be afforded one day off for relaxation and/or adventure. We want you to experience some of the natural beauty and adventure that Dominican Republic has to offer. Since 2005, we have worked with a trusted, professional, and experienced tour company called Tours, Trips, Treks, and Travel (www.4tdomrep.com). Hero Holiday participants are offered special discounted rates. Possible excursions such as zip lining, white water rafting, horseback riding, and cascading may be purchased on the night of our awareness tour in Dominican Republic. However, you may just want to hang out on the beach and work on that farmers tan! The choice is yours.

This trip typically leaves from Toronto, ON. Each participant is responsible for their own transportation to either the Travelodge Dixon Hotel or the Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ), where our staff will pick you up just outside of security and bring you to the hotel. After a great pizza dinner, we will have a fun time getting to know everyone and completing our orientation and training. The next day is spent traveling to the Dominican Republic on our airline of choice, Jet Blue. In Dominican Republic, a typical work day starts at 9am and goes until 4pm. Our evenings are filled with team debriefings (always a huge highlight for every participant!) and our now-legendary evening activities.

This is what a typical Dominican Republic trip looks like!

While in the Dominican Republic our team will be staying at a resort called Sosua by the Sea. Rooms are quad occupancy but double or private rooms are available at an extra charge. All meals are buffet style with many different options to choose from. You will have the option to try some local traditional foods, or simply stay with food that is more familiar to you. Some project sites may require a packed lunch, which the resort kitchen facilitates for us. We do our best to cater to specific dietary restrictions, so please let us know what restrictions you have at the time of application so we can properly prepare in advance.

All of our Hero Holiday staff are experienced professionals in each area they facilitate. We have professional drivers, builders, youth workers, administrators, cooks, mechanics and interpreters. We maintain excellent community relations and work diligently alongside of community leaders and government officials in each country that we work in. We take our responsibilities and your expectations very seriously. Safety is always our number one priority. All of our key staff are first aid certified and we always have immediate access available to quality medical attention (if needed) in all countries that we work in.

• Before a Hero Holiday begins, all parents are given contact numbers and emails for Hero Holiday ground staff. We are available at any time for parental concerns or emergencies. Our staff also works hard to keep family and friends back home updated on a daily basis with stories and pictures of what is happening with each particular group.

Trip Dates and Info

Date of Trip	Description	Deadline	Price**
July 5 - 15th, 2010	Summer Trip 1	Apr 15, 2010	$2385
July 18 - 28, 2010	Summer Trip 2	Apr 15, 2010	$2395
July 4 - 28, 2010	Intern Program	Jan 30, 2010	$3885
Aug 21 - 30, 2010.	For University Students (18+)	Mar 15, 2010	$2685

Payment and Donation Log - Must accompany all payments and donations.

** Prices listed may be subject to extra fees. See application for full pricing and package details.