FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Despina Gakopoulos (617) 457-5502
newsmedia@elderhostel.org
This Holiday Season, Give the Gift of a Learning Adventure for a Lifetime of Memories
Boston, Mass. (December 8, 2008) — The quest for the perfect gift is part of every holiday season. This year, forego the season’s trends and toys and give the gift of a learning adventure. Intergenerational programs combine travel and the opportunity for grandparents and grandchildren to discover shared interests and each other — minus the middle generation. Elderhostel, the world's largest not-for-profit educational travel organization for adults, offers more than 400 Intergenerational learning adventures exclusively for grandparents and grandchildren.
From dinosaurs to geology, outer space to children's literature, the selections are vast with most programs taking place during the summer months to accommodate school vacation schedules. Each program’s activities are tailored to the skill levels of specific age groups.
“When we plan an Intergenerational program, we keep the interests of both generations in mind,” says Fran Rivkin, associate vice president of North America programs at Elderhostel. “Activities are planned to balance time together and apart, and feedback from our participants is overwhelmingly positive. Grandparent/grandchild programs are a special way to strengthen the bond between generations, build memories, and develop a new appreciation for each other.”
Each year, more than 7,000 people experience Elderhostel’s Intergenerational programs. Just a sampling of Elderhostel’s offerings includes:
Branson Showbiz Kids (Branson, Missouri)
Children ages 10 –14, 5 nights Cost: $735 adults, $594 children, Dates: 6/14/09, 6/28/09, 7/26/09, 8/2/09
Grandparents and grandchildren will learn the ins and outs of the art of entertainment. Daily professional demonstrations and workshops reveal the secrets to ventriloquism, magic, dance, stage makeup and more. Shows specially designed for young audiences such as Gregory Popovich and His Trained Animals Show bring the workshops to life. After each show, grandparents and grandchildren meet the cast and explore the theatre's lights and sound systems. Performers discuss career options in entertainment while local experts trace the development of Branson's entertainment industry with lectures and outings. The week culminates with a performance of the Branson Showbiz Kids Variety Show — grandparents and grandchildren show off the new skills their "team" has mastered.
Great Grands Camp: Sagamore's Intergenerational Program (Raquette Lake, N.Y.)
Children ages 6–9 (Week of 8/9 for ages 8–11), 5 nights Cost: $648 adults, Dates: 7/12/09, 7/26/09, 8/9/09, 8/16/09, 8/23/09
In the heart of the Adirondack Mountains in New York, Sagamore's "grands camp" is designed to bring families together in a unique and striking natural setting. Morning sessions include outdoor activities such as stream-walking, canoeing, hiking and nature discovery. Afternoons are spent creating crafts and making music. Evening activities include a barn dance, campfire and “creativity night” where families can show off their talents, tell a joke, sing a song together, or play a ditty.
River Rafting the Grand Canyon (Peach Springs, Ariz.)
Children ages 9–12, 5 nights Cost: $998 adults, $898 children, Dates: 6/6/09, 6/16/09, 6/26/09, 7/5/09
Share the thrill of whitewater rafting on the Colorado River in the depths of the Grand Canyon. Spend a full day on the river with experienced guides and instructors, rafting 37 miles through the Grand Canyon, including a number of exhilarating, and safe, whitewater rapids and exiting the canyon via a helicopter flight to the rim at Quartermaster Point. Program activities introduce the geology, natural history, and native peoples of Grand Canyon and include field trips in the canyon area to meet local ranchers and learn about Arizona cowboy life and lore, roping, riding and Dutch oven cookery.
Ellie and Ed Kepler of Manchester, Conn., have attended 10 Intergenerational programs. “We’ve attended programs ranging from a Day of Discovery to a three-week program in the Grand Canyon with our grandchildren,” says Ellie Kepler. “Our youngest grandchild who is 12, has attended two including Run Away and Join the Circus: For the Young and Young At Heart. Our oldest grandson is 20 and has attended five, ranging from experiencing Washington, D.C. to flying lessons. Intergenerational programs have allowed us to build individual relationships with each child and have a peer group for them at the same time.”
Elderhostel, founded in 1975, is the world’s largest not-for-profit educational travel organization for older adults. More than 160,000 people enroll in Elderhostel’s 8,000 programs annually. Elderhostel provides exceptional learning adventures throughout the United States and Canada and in more than 90 countries around the world. Expert instructors and experienced group leaders create extraordinary experiences by sharing stimulating information, leading fascinating field trips and providing meaningful cultural excursions. In 2004, Elderhostel launched Road Scholar to meet the needs of a new generation of educational travelers. For more information, please visit www.elderhostel.org or www.roadscholar.org.
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