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Pan Pacific Hotel Seattle

While I’m writing this, I’m sitting on a patio in Hawaii. I’ve got a cold glass of water sitting next to me, knowing I can quickly quench my thirst, and looking out at the ocean surrounding me. My toilet flushes, I can easily wash my hands, and when I’m ready, I know that I’ll be able to take a nice hot shower. And in the morning, I know that I’ll have fresh water to make my much needed cup of coffee. I know these things without ever thinking about them. Water is a part of my life that doesn’t warrant a second thought.

But the rest of the world is not quite so fortunate. In many parts of the world, fresh water is a luxury – a luxury that they don’t have.  Water.org is a nonprofit organization that has been working with communities in Africa, Asia, and Central America to provide access to sanitary water for over 20 years. Providing water to communities is also providing hope, a chance for health and education, and an opportunity for long term stability in those communities.

This year, Passports with Purpose – the annual travel blogger fundraiser – is focusing on water. Their goal is to raise $100,000 to build two well in Haiti, where over half the residents do not have access to a clean source of water. Think that’s ambitious? Think again – this is the group that in past years has raised  $7,000 for Heifer International, $30,000 to build a school in Cambodia, $65,000 to create a village in India, and $90,000 to build to libraries in Zambia. A couple of wells in Haiti? NO PROBLEM!

The fundraiser raises money $10 at a time, from people like you and me – people who understand the incredible privileges our passports grants to us. This is a chance for travel bloggers, the travel industry, and travelers to give back to the world that has provided so many fabulous experiences to us. EVERYONE can participate. Here’s how it works:

Travel bloggers have lined up an assortment of prizes. Go ahead, head on over and take a look – there’s some good stuff there. For every $10 donation that you make, you can specify an entry for one of the prizes. Donate $10 and get one entry, $100 gets you ten entries, and $1,000 gets you 100 entries. The only limit is your budget.

I’m very excited to host a prize for this year’s Passport with Purpose fundraiser. And I’m excited that the winner of this prize will get a chance to taste and savor the city that I call home – Seattle, Washington. Or as I call it, a little slice of heaven in the Pacific Northwest. Check out these details on the prize.

Prize:  Enjoy 2-night weekend escape to South Lake Union with a stay in a Space Needle Suite at the Pan Pacific Hotel Seattle, including breakfast for two and valet parking.

Why you want to win this prize: The Pan Pacific is locating in the heart of the South Lake Union Neighborhood and is within walking distance of everything you’d want to do in the downtown area. The hotel offers great views of the city, Lake Union, or the Space Needle and a full suite of state-of-the-art technology options in your room. And they do it all with an eye on sustainable practices as part of the PanEarth Sustainability Program.

Value: $1,500

So hey, what are you waiting for? Please go help us all build a couple of wells in Haiti. And pick this Pan Pacific Seattle weekend as one of the prizes you want to win!

Photo credit: Pan Pacific Hotel, Seattle

If you like this article, you'll find more to enjoy at Traveling with MJ - Practical travel information for practical travelers.