It has been a challenging time for many employees at Wyndham Resort Denarau Island following Cyclone Winston, with many experiencing serious damage or loss of their family homes. But the team has banded together to help out those who were hardest hit by the natural disaster.
Wyndham Resort Denarau Island Resort Manager Scott Walton said a number of initiatives to help those most in need have taken place including fundraising, the donation of supplies and support to local community groups.
The resort provided free accommodation to representatives from Rise Beyond the Reef to provide them with a base to coordinate the construction of a roof for a boarding school in the Naocobau Village in the Ra Province, where all homes and many other buildings were destroyed.  The school, which serves 140 children, was heavily damaged with the kindergarten roof destroyed and the girls’ dorm flooded with mud. The resort also contributed money for building materials to the sum of FJD$5,964.
Hundreds of supplies and non-perishable items donated by resort guests have been given to Sea Mercy, a not-for-profit organisation that has been distributing goods to the villages hit the hardest by the cyclone.
“Our team members here at Wyndham Resort Denarau Island have been helping to distribute goods to the local communities most affected by this cyclone and we are doing everything we can to help these people rebuild their lives as quickly as possible,” Mr Walton said.
Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific head office staff based in Australia have also been joining in the fundraising efforts, hosting a number of events to raise AUD$7,530 over the last two weeks for their colleagues and families affected by the cyclone.
Wyndham Resort Denarau Island is the flagship property of the timeshare club, the WorldMark South Pacific Club by Wyndham. Directly following the cyclone, WorldMark Owners staying at the resort pitched in to assist staff with the clean-up. Many have also been assisting with fundraising by donating to the Red Cross Fiji Appeal, as well as enquiring about volunteer work with local charities and orphanages on their upcoming holidays.
“It has been incredibly heartwarming to see the outpouring of support and fundraising by our resort guests and vacation club owners, as well as from our colleagues in Australia, to help our own team members here who have also been affected,” Mr Walton said.
“The community spirit both here in Fiji and within Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific has been incredible and I am honoured to be working alongside so many compassionate and caring people.”
Wyndham Resort Denarau Island only suffered minor damage during the cyclone and has quickly returned to normal.
ABOUT US
Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific develops, markets and sells Vacation Ownership interests in a network of 26 vacation ownership resorts in the Asia Pacific region and serves more than 50,000 vacation owners throughout Australia, New Zealand and Fiji in its WorldMark South Pacific Club by Wyndham.
Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific is a division of Wyndham Vacation Ownership, part of Wyndham Worldwide, (NYSE: WYN) one of the world’s largest hospitality companies. The Asia Pacific corporate office is located on the Gold Coast, Queensland, and Australia and employs more than 2,000 staff throughout the South Pacific. For more information about Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific, please visit www.wyndhamAP.com
Wyndham Hotel Group, part of the Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE:WYN) family of companies, is the world’s largest and most diverse hotel company, encompassing approximately 7,800 properties and 678,000 rooms in 72 countries under the hotel brands: Wyndham® Hotels and Resorts, Ramada®, Days Inn®, Super 8®, Wingate by Wyndham®, Baymont Inn & Suites®, Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham®, Hawthorn Suites® by Wyndham, TRYP by Wyndham®, Howard Johnson®, Travelodge® in the USA and Knights Inn®. In addition, the company has a license agreement to franchise the Planet Hollywood Hotels brand and provide management services globally.
Media enquiries:
Stacey Grims
PR & Communications
T: +61 (0) 7 5512 8227
stacey.grims@wyn.com
Source: www.wyndhamAP.com
