Thursday, 19 February 2009: For more than a week now Australia has watched in horror as our country's worst ever bushfires have swept across Victoria. Having already claimed more than 200 lives, 1830 homes, four towns, 1.1 million acres of countryside and countless wildlife, the fires are continuing their rapid and erratic journey of destruction across the state, thwarting all efforts to contain them.
As Australians often do when the chips are down, those lucky enough to be unaffected by the disaster have rallied behind their "mates" who have been affected. The generosity the country has shown to date is nothing short of amazing. Donations of time, money, resources and supplies have been flooding into the affected area since news of the destruction became public, with the latest figure being in excess of $121 million in monetary donations alone.
Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific has also stepped up to the plate. In addition to the $10,000 the company has already donated through Wishes by Wyndham, they have today announced a further donation of 100,000 Developer Credits and the of launch their brand new, Wishes by Wyndham Victorian Bushfire Holiday Credits Appeal.
Conceived by the company's community support initiative, Wishes by Wyndham, the Appeal has been created to provide the Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific and its valued WorldMark South Pacific Club Owners, a way to provide meaningful non-cash assistance directly to survivors of the disaster.
From today until 5.00pm Friday, 20 March, the Wishes by Wyndham Victorian Bushfire Holiday Credits Appeal will give Owners the opportunity to build on the company's donation of 100,000 Developer Credits through donations of their own Holiday Credits.
The fund this creates will then be used, under the combined direction of Wishes by Wyndham and the Red Cross, to provide free short-break accommodation for bushfire affected WorldMark South Pacific Club Owners and members of the general public at selected WorldMark South Pacific Club by Wyndham resorts, including nearby WorldMark Resort Ballarat.
Having been through such a challenging and traumatic event, it is hoped that the free holidays generated by the appeal will provide recipients with much needed respite from the fire's devastation and timeout for survivors to start rebuilding their lives.
While WorldMark South Pacific Club Owners who have been directly affected by the disaster will be given first priority for the free accommodation, any available remaining room nights, over the coming weeks, will be offered to the Red Cross for distribution to members of the public deemed to be most in need.
It is anticipated that the generosity of WorldMark South Pacific Club Owners, coupled with that of Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific, will generate weeks worth of room nights for those who have lost everything in the disaster.
If you are, or know of, a WorldMark South Pacific Club Owner who has been affected by the bushfires and are yet to speak to the WorldMark South Pacific Club Team, please contact Owner Services.
To donate some of your Holiday Credits to the Wishes by Wyndham Victorian Bushfire Holiday Credits Appeal now click here.
To donate money to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal call 1800 811 700 or select the Red Cross secure online donations page here.
