Lighthouse Family Retreats
Since founding Coastal Vibe Vacations, one of the most incredible (and unforeseen) benefits has been the opportunity to give back – to do a little good in the world.
I’ll explain. It all began when my family and I were helping pack “Hope Boxes” at church. We learned that the boxes were destined for families who would be attending Lighthouse family retreats in the coming year – retreats right here on the Gulf Coast of Florida.
Lighthouse Family Retreats is an organization dedicated to helping families not just survive, but thrive in the face childhood cancer. To enjoy their time together. To encourage laughter, family ties, and faith. And to do that, they host yearly retreats in beautiful Florida, hosting families for a week of fun, carefree and family-centered activities and entertainment.
My immediate reaction was personal: Those hope boxes we packed at church? They’d help put a smile on those families’ faces. Those smiles would light up our Gulf Coast. And on an even more personal note, I watched as my now 7-year-old’s caring spirit positively bloomed: she came to life when given the opportunity to do something, even something small, for children and families suffering from cancer.
And that’s when it hit me: if my company, my family and I had an emotional connection with Lighthouse, couldn’t we also have a charitable connection? So in 2015, Coastal Vibe Vacations has set a goal to donate $10,000 of our rental agency profits to Lighthouse Family Retreats. We also committed to attending a retreat as a Family Partner to help support & host the Retreat Families (Retreat #10 in July at TOPS’L Resort near Sandestin).
After helping host a retreat in 2015, we felt called to continue supporting this organization. We hope to have the opportunity to increase our giving each year, help host at least one retreat, and launch fundraising efforts to help this amazing organization. Our family helped to host Retreat #9 the week of June 18-25, 2016 and Retreat #10 on June 11-17, 2017. This year we will be serving again on Retreat #10 the week of June 10-16, 2018.
What’s more, we hope to help spread awareness for Lighthouse Family Retreats – a truly wonderful, worthy organization. And if you, be you a Destin vacationer or property owner, would like to help, let’s work together. Choose to donate part of your refundable deposit; leave a “tip” for Lighthouse; or kick in an extra property management percentage point; I’ll donate in your name, and send you an email receipt for tax write-off. What’s more, I’ll match your donation.
Let’s work together. Let’s help Lighthouse bring special experiences and memories to children and families whose lives are so often devoid of the warmth, sunlight and laughter we so often experience at Waterscape & Destin West Beach & Bay Resort.
