Junglavista

 

Jeanne and Paul at the Face The Future Auction

 

We love having guests, friends and family visit and stay at our unique Treehouse. Ten years ago though, when we first acquired this mountainside, ocean view home located in a Costa Rican eco-forest, it had not been our intention to rent it out while we were away. Now we indeed do rent it out and that has worked very well. Houses are at their best when lived in, especially in a tropical environment.  We have excellent local management in place who provides maintenance, housekeeping, tours and guest services. Feedback from our visitors, visible on our website, has been quite amazing!

More recently, my partner Jeanne and I have been involved raising funds for several charities by offering at auction a one week visit at our Treehouse - but first, how did this all start?

On a drive back to Toronto from Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina (the southernmost city on the planet), Jeanne and I we were travelling through the Atacama Desert in Chile. Parts of this desert have not seen rain in over a 100 years! While driving, I spotted a fellow walking by the side of the road clad only in only a cloak and sandals. It was at least 40 degrees Centigrade out there. Seeing this person was a bit unusual but especially so because we had not seen a town, a tree, a person, a vehicle, or even a blade of grass for almost an hour. We turned back, rolled down our window a few inches and cautiously transferred a full bottle of water and some food to this fellow. He seemed very grateful and we continued on. We'll both never forget that incident and the great feeling of being able to help out.

There have been many satisfying small steps like simply picking up plastic and litter from the Pacific beaches close to us in Costa Rica. Then later on, helping with a World Wildlife Fund project to Save The Turtles at Playa Junquillal. And engaging in other activities such as organizing a tour of a Toronto waste cycling operation called Turtle Island and being on our condominium's Green Committee.

One day, Jeanne came home to let me know she had just attended a dinner where Dr. Peter Adamson talked about his organization called “Face the Future Foundation”. Their program is to relieve children living in the economically depressed parts of the world from the devastating effects of congenital and traumatic facial deformities caused by accidents, cancer, violence or war. Their story sounded so inspiring and worthwhile that we decided in 2012 to join their fund-raising dinner auction by offering a week’s stay at our Treehouse. We participated again, this year.

The next organization we helped to support in 2012 was The Bruce Trail Conservancy - it was a fund raising dinner celebrating the Toronto Bruce Trail Club’s 50^th anniversary. We often enjoy hiking this amazing trail, especially in the Mono Cliffs area. Guests, who were the successful bidders at this event, will be staying at our mountainside retreat in January 2014. 

 

In June of this year, upon arriving for the annual Coping Centre Golf tournament at Guelph Lakes, Paul spontaneously offered, at their dinner live auction, a week at our Treehouse. These winners have also already booked their stay in January.
 

On November 13, 2013, we participated in The Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation dinner here in Toronto. We were joined by our dear friend Lynda Visosky, whose late husband Les was involved in the early years of supporting this charity. Back in October Jeanne and I met Zeke O'Conner, the founder of this foundation and a most delightful gentleman. He has a new book, recently out, entitled Journey With The Sherpas This foundation helps improve the quality of life of the Sherpa people of Nepal in the areas of health care, education and the environment. The live auction of a week at the Treehouse during the fund raising dinner was a huge success.
 

Earlier this month, while out walking on a brisk and windy Fall morning, I found a monthly Toronto subway pass that had fallen to the sidewalk. It had no identification on it and a stated value of $128.50. I shortly thereafter approached a fellow playing on his flute at the main intersection just north of us. When asked if he travelled by subway, he said yes. The look in his eyes and his thank you were more than enough.