SPECIAL NEEDS GROUP’S TRAVEL PARTNERS SUPPORT CAMILLUS HOUSE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Special Needs Group’s Travel Partners Support Camillus House
MIAMI, FLORIDA April 9, 2014 – Camillus House is pleased to announce that Special Needs Group (SNG), a long time benefactor of the charity, has enlisted the support of its travel industry partners to help Camillus House. SNG, a leading global provider of special needs equipment rentals for travelers, has hosted “Scooting for Charity” events at several travel industry conferences and special events with Camillus House as sole beneficiary of these efforts.
Financial Support
The most recent “Scooting for Charity” events were held during the weekend of April 4th at CLIA’s Cruise3Sixty Annual Conference at the Broward Convention Center and at the Avoya Travel Annual Sales Conference, which was held on onboard Celebrity Cruises’ Silhouette ship. During this event Avoya Travel made a generous corporate contribution on behalf of their Independent Affiliate Network to support Camillus House.
“Avoya Travel, an American Express affiliate, is one of the most respected names in Retail Travel and celebrated their 50th Anniversary earlier this year,” explained Andrew Garnett, president & CEO of Special Needs Group. “We’re thankful for their support of this worthy cause.”
“The Travel Industry has emerged as among our most staunch supports” observed Sam Gil, Camillus Vice President of Marketing & Communications. Camillus House received a $5 million pledge in 2011 from Norwegian Cruise Line to support construction of its new three-acre Campus in Miami’s Health District, bringing the charity one step closer to its goal of ending chronic homelessness in Miami-Dade County.
Necessary Mobility Assistance
In addition to the much needed funds that were raised these events, SNG also announced the donation of a mobility scooter in honor of two industry giants.
Again, Mr. Garnett: “We are pleased to announce that a mobility scooter will be donated to Camillus House, in recognition of Don Walker and Uf Tukel’s (co-presidents of We Make People Happy Vacations induction into the Cruise Line International Hall of Fame.” WMPH Vacations was Special Needs Group “Power Partner of the Year” in 2012 and ranks among the Nation’s most prominent Cruise Retailers.
“We’re very grateful to Andrew, the Special Needs Group and their travel partners for their incredible generosity and support of Camillus House,” said Sam Gil, “With their recent donations of mobility scooters, we now have three that SNG has donated to help folks who are disabled get around our campus.”
About Camillus House
Camillus House is the largest and most comprehensive provider of humanitarian services to persons who are poor and homeless in South Florida. Established by the Brothers of the Good Shepherd in 1960, Camillus has grown from a small soup kitchen into a full service agency offering comprehensive services countywide.
About Special Needs Group, Inc.
Special Needs Group, Inc. is the leading global provider of wheelchair rentals, scooter rentals, oxygen rentals and other special needs equipment rentals. It also offers a broad range of special needs equipment for purchase. Recommended by the world’s major cruise lines for superior service and value, Special Needs Group also services guests visiting hotels, resorts, theme parks and convention centers. Special Needs Group is the only mobility and oxygen equipment supplier that is approved to deliver to all major cruise lines. They are located at 302 NW 1st Street, Dania Beach, FL 33004. For more information, visit www.specialneedsgroup.com or call 1-800-513-4515.
Co-Presidents Don Walker (L) and Uf Tukel ® flank CLIA President Christine Duff at induction ceremony. Walker and Tukel were recognized in the Association’s Retailer Category as 2014 Inductees.
Avoya Executives Skip Fortier and Scott Koepf (far Left and Right, respectively) join SNG president Andrew Garnett and Sam Gil of Camillus House and celebrate Avoya Travel’s Corporate donation to Camillus House as part of an SNG Scooting For Charity event at their National Conference.
(L to R) Norwegian Cruise Line’s Andy Stuart, Andy Stuart, SNG’s Andrew Garnett (Norwegian’s exclusive provider of Special Needs and Mobility equipment) and Camillus House VP Sam Gil gather at Scooting For Charity at CLIA’s 10th Annual cruyise3sixty Conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
