Starwood Timeshare

The American Resort Development Association of Hawaii (ARDA-Hawaii) presents Kauai’s 2012 Hawaii Timeshare Employee of the Year award to Julie Pavao  of the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas.

Pavao, an Executive Assistant at the Westin, is the first to receive Kauai’s 2012 Timeshare Employee of the Year award through the statewide program. ARDA Hawaii has recognized her for continually providing outstanding service and going beyond the call of duty.

ARDA-Hawaii Chair Daniel Dinell says, “Julie Pavao best represents all of the qualities we envisioned in creating the Timeshare with Aloha Awards.”

Dinell, who is the Hilton Grand Vacations Vice President for Oahu, adds, “With her demonstrated commitment to the growth and development in the resort and timeshare industry, and equal dedication to her community by helping to organize the Hawaii Hotel and Lodging Association’s Visitor Industry Charity Walk, Julie truly deserves this well-earned recognition from her peers.”

Julie Pavao started working with Starwood Vacation Ownership in 1987. Denise Wardlow, General Manager at The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas nominated Pavao for the award, pointing out that Pavao is such a willing problem solver for both guests and staff, she has the role of “Aunty Julie,” creating an environment of extended ohana (family) for timeshare owners, guests, and employees at the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas.

Pavao, who is said to exemplify the Aloha Spirit, is an active community member and volunteers with the Visitor Industry Charity Walk on Kauai; the Relay For Life; Adopt-A-Highway; the Westin Princeville Charity Golf Tournament and the resort’s Silent Auction for the Kauai Lifeguards Association.

More about the ARDA-Hawaii Award: Hawaii Timeshare with Aloha

ARDA-Hawaii established the “Timeshare with Aloha” Awards to spotlight committed industry professionals who make Hawaii timeshare special to visit. Four outstanding employees, one from Maui, Kauai, Oahu, and Hawaii were honored. Each received a two-night stay at a Hawaii timeshare resort and $1,000 to spend during their vacation. Others receiving the Timeshare with Aloha Award include: Keani Awai, Marketing Manager, Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club, Maui; Ashley M.K. DeCanto, Administration Manager, Club Wyndham – Waikiki Beach Walk and Royal Garden at Waikiki, Oahu; and Stephanie Peterson, Executive Vacation Counselor, Hilton Grand Vacations Club -Waikoloa Beach Resort, Island of Hawaii.

ARDA-Hawaii is the local chapter of the American Resort Development Association. Hawaii timeshares account for 13 percent of Hawaii’s visitor lodging inventory and thousands of jobs. Learn more about “Timeshare with Aloha” at www.ARDA.org/alohaawards

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If you know nothing else about UNCF (United Negro College Fund), you know it for the poignant and powerful television and radio commercials that remind us, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”®  These words, used by UNCF for more than 40 years to empower minority youth to successfully earn a college degree, today resonate more strongly than ever.

Where once a high school diploma opened doors to employment, today a college degree is now requisite to a well-paying job and fulfilling career. UNCF makes it possible for more than 60,000 students each year to attend college and receive the education they need to and that we need them to have. Each year the UNCF awards more than 10,000 scholarships through more than 400 scholarship, internship and fellowship programs that directly support students at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels at more than 900 colleges and universities across the United States

Sheraton Vistana Resort Florida Timeshare

Today we have a unique opportunity to make available to you a deeply discounted Florida timeshare that is currently owned and for sale by the UNCF. Located at the Sheraton Vistana Resort, Fountain Villas, this two-bedroom, two-bath timeshare unit sleeps 6 to 8 vacationers. Offered as deeded ownership, for annual use during one of the prime Spring Break vacation weeks of April (week 15), this timeshare would allow you shared ownership of a Florida vacation condo, without the year-round responsibilities that come with owning a private home.

The Sheraton Vistana is a centrally located Florida timeshare, tucked into a tropical setting yet conveniently close to all the popular Orlando-area amenities, theme parks, golf, and other attractions. Offered by Timeshare Broker Services, the UNCF has discounted its price for this popular vacation destination to $3,000.

• To find out how you can take advantage of this price-dropped Florida timeshare deal call: 1-855-299-3829. Ad number 1424082.
• To learn more about Sheraton Resorts, visit www.starwoodvacationownership.com
• And to learn more about the important work of the UNCF, visit its website at www. uncf.org.

On November 12, the Jewish National Fund will honor Eric A. Danziger, Chief Executive Officer of Wyndham Hotel Group, with its Tree of Life Award. A longtime member of the hospitality industry, Danziger’s work history includes Carlson Hotels Worldwide, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, DoubleTree Hotels, and the former Wyndham International.

Jewish National Fund to honor CEO of Wyndham Hotel Group at Annual Tree of Life award dinner

Actor and Comedian Paul Reiser to Serve as Emcee

Jewish National Fund (JNF) will host its annual Tree of Life™ Award Dinner at The Pierre Hotel on Monday, November 12, 2012. The event will honor Eric A. Danziger, Chief Executive Officer of Wyndham Hotel Group, and feature master of ceremonies Paul Reiser. Cocktails will be served at 6:00 pm, and the program will begin at 7:00 pm.

Proceeds from the Tree of Life™ Dinner will benefit JNF’s work with Aleh Negev, a state-of-the -art rehabilitative village in Israel’s Negev Desert that provides people with severe cognitive and physical disabilities with high-level medical and therapeutic care to help them realize their full potential. Major General (Res.) Doron Almog, chairman of Aleh Negev, will receive the Guardian of Israel Award.

The Tree of Life™ Award is a humanitarian award given in recognition of outstanding community involvement, dedication to the cause of American-Israeli friendship, and devotion to peace and security of human life. Eric A. Danziger is a lodging industry veteran. He joined Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel company, as President and Chief Executive Officer in 2008 after serving in executive leadership roles for some of the world’s most well-known hospitality companies including Carlson Hotels Worldwide, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, DoubleTree Hotels and the former Wyndham International. He has served as chairman of the American Hotel & Motel Association’s Strategic Planning Group and as a trustee of the American Hotel & Motel Federation.

Danziger holds an honorary doctorate from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI, where he is a distinguished visiting professor. He is a 2011 UJA-Federation of New York honoree, and recipient of numerous industry awards and honors, including the 2005 Northern California Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in the category of real estate, hospitality and construction.

Major General (Res.) Doron Almog served in the IDF from 1969-2004. Key landmarks in his career include participating in the 1976 Entebbe Operation, commanding elite paratroopers during the first Lebanon War, airlifting more than 6,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel, and heading the Southern Command from 2000-2003. The focus of his voluntary activities is Aleh Negev-Nahalat Eran, which is named for the General’s son Eran, Aleh Negev’s first resident, who passed away in February 2007 of a rare illness.

A friend of JNF and Aleh Negev, Paul Reiser is a seasoned actor, writer, and stand-up comedian. He co-created and starred in the NBC series Mad About You, which garnered him Emmy, Golden Globe, American Comedy Award and Screen Actors Guild nominations. He has also written three books: Couplehood, Babyhood and Familyhood. In November 2010, Reiser released the album Unusual Suspects with longtime friend, singer/songwriter Julia Fordham. Most recently, he wrote and starred in the semiautobiographical 2011 NBC comedy series The Paul Reiser Show. Reiser is generously donating his time for the Tree of Life™ Award Dinner.

The dinner will take place at The Pierre Hotel at 2 East 61st Street at 5th Avenue, New York, NY. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Amy Penchansky at 212.879.9305 ext. 804 or [email protected] by October 29, 2012.

JEWISH NATIONAL FUND (JNF) began in 1901 as a dream and vision to reestablish a homeland in Israel for Jewish people everywhere. Jews the world over collected coins in iconic JNF Blue Boxes, purchasing land and planting trees until ultimately, their dream of a Jewish homeland was a reality. JNF gives all generations of Jews a unique voice in building a prosperous future for the land of Israel and its people. JNF embodies both heart and action; our work is varied in scope but singular in benefit. We strive to bring an enhanced quality of life to all of Israel’s residents, and translate these advancements to the world beyond. JNF is greening the desert with millions of trees, building thousands of parks, creating new communities and cities for generations of Israelis to call home, bolstering Israel’s water supply, helping develop innovative arid agriculture techniques, and educating both young and old about the founding and importance of Israel and Zionism. JNF is a registered 501(c)(3) organization and United Nations NGO, which continuously earns top ratings from charity overseers. For more information on JNF, call 888-JNF-0099 or visit www.jnf.org.

Today’s blog continues our effort to update you on the status of hotel and timeshare openings in the aftermath and ongoing cleanup from Hurricane Sandy as well as some cruise line updates. Because of the size and scope of this storm, it is impossible to cover all the updates or to guarantee this is the most up-to-the-minute information in this constantly changing situation. Please check The Timeshare Authority blog previous postings for other information including important contact numbers: (Updates on Hotel and Timeshare Resorts Closed by Hurricane Sandy; Hurricane Sandy Update for Marriott Hotels and Marriott Timeshares; Caribbean Timeshare and Hotel Guests Feel Impact of Sandy)

• New York’s John F. Kennedy and Newark Liberty airports partially reopened on Wednesday with LaGuardia expected to reopen on Thursday. Check flight availability on a case by case basis and expect limited food concessions and restaurant service within the airports.
• Holiday Inn Club Vacations has announced that all of its resort guests are save and its timeshare resorts are unaffected.
• Pebblebrook Hotels experienced no significant damages. Their properties in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, PA, New York, NY, and Boston, MA  remained open and served guests throughout Hurricane Sandy.
• Hyatt reports that at its Andaz Wall Street location, all guests were relocated to the Grand Hyatt New York and the Wall Street property will be closed until further notice. Hyatt guests can check hotel status by calling (800) 323-7249, emailing [email protected], or sending a tweet to @HyattConcierge.”
• The Sheraton Atlantic City evacuated guests as part of the city’s evacuation order but remains as a staging center for emergency services personnel.
• Kimpton Hotels is offering its guests a 20 percent discount stays at hotels in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Alexandria and Washington D.C. To take advantage of the discount, book your stay using the code, “SANDY”.
• The Atlantic City Starwood was evacuated as were two of Starwood’s hotel properties in New York City. The Le Parker Meridien was evacuated following safety issues callused by the collapse of a nearby crane. The W New York Downtown Please is currently closed until further notice and the hotel phone lines are currently down. Contact Starwood’s central reservation team at (866) 961-2860 for more information. Guests at some other Starwood hotel properties throughout the northeast were relocated due to power outages.
• Hilton Hotels report faring well throughout the storm but urges guests to check on the status of existing reservations by calling 1-800-HILTONS. The Hilton New York announced via Facebook that it is open today and that  New York City is returning to “a level of normalcy.”
• The contact number for confirming the status of your Marriott Vacation Club reservations is: 1-800-845-4226.
• The closing of the Port of New York may be suspended today or tomorrow. The cruise ship, the Norwegian Gem has sailed to Boston to take on supplies. The Crystal Symphony bypassed New York and sailed to Charleston, SC.
• The cruise ship, the Caribbean Princess remains in Boston and may dock in Manhattan on Friday rather than Brooklyn as scheduled.
• Carnival Cruise Lines has cancelled two of its scheduled cruises, one from Baltimore and one from Norfolk, and has re-worked the schedules of several others, with clean ups in the Bahamas effecting its schedule along with port challenges in the northeast.

Getting Involved in Hurricane Sandy Emergency Response

The impact and disruption to lives and businesses following such a catastrophic storm continues long after the storm has passed. Weeks from now, when Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy is no longer headline news, families will be struggling to deal with the devastation left behind.

You can offer your assistance through donations made to the American Red Cross at red Cross Disaster Relief: https://www.redcross.org/donate . There is also a directory of state-by-state opportunities if you are interested in volunteering your time as part of the clean up and restoration efforts: http://www.nvoad.org/states.