Tourists’ Generosity Post-Covid breaks all records in Cristo Rey, Belize!

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. ~ Helen Keller

Together our guests’ donations make a substantial impact on some of the needs in our village and surrounding area.

Lucky Dreamer Lodge is a modest 2-bungalow, family-run property located in the foothills of the Mountain Pine Ridge in Cristo Rey Village, Cayo, Belize. We have been members of Pack for a Purpose since our opening in 2016. Our guests soon began donating supplies for our village school and the local animal stray care organization, Cayo Animal Welfare Society (CAWS).

Then Covid hit.

We were closed for a year.

Our village school still hasn’t begun full-time, in person classes yet, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need supplies.  If anything, they need supplies now more than ever.  And the number of pets that were put out on the street increased, stretching CAWS to its limits.

To try to combat the stray issue, CAWS started an education program for school children regarding the basic care of pets.  I spent a day reading a story (authored by a CAWS volunteer) to the students at our village school.  The students learned about strays in a way they could relate to, and got their own copy of the story in a coloring book format.  It was so rewarding to be able to combine our Pack for a Purpose causes!

Lucky Dreamer Lodge re-opened March of 2021 and donations slowly trickled in.  For many months we had no donations.  Then 2022 came along…… and we exceeded all previous donation levels! Our amazing guests donated nearly 100 pounds of supplies in the first four months of the year!

We are truly grateful for every donation a guest brings no matter how small. Our guests travel to beautiful Belize to enjoy the beaches, jungle, Mayan heritage, and amazing adventures.  So it’s always a bonus when they put some time aside to think about the needs of our little jungle village.

We are extremely proud to be a Pack for a Purpose accommodation! We try to contribute to our local community in whatever way we can, and the Pack for a Purpose program is one way we do this.  It provides us with the opportunity for our amazing guests to contribute as well.  Our guests sometimes don’t understand just how much a small pack of crayons can mean to a child, or what a difference a dry erase marker means to a teacher.  Our guests’ donations mean way more than they can imagine!

It is rewarding to know that we have helped, if even in a small way, to provide children, teachers and local stray care givers with some of the tools they need to make our community better.

So, the next time you head out on a vacation (not just to Lucky Dreamer Lodge), find a little extra space in your luggage and pack some needed donations for your destination! Your small gesture of kindness will go a LONG way.

We can change the world and make it a better place.  It is in our hands to make a difference. ~ Nelson Mandela