Pure Florida has partnered with Friends of Foster Children Forever to present birthday celebration cruises to foster children and their families. As part of the Friends of Foster Children Forever Birthday Club, Pure Florida’s cruise experience will provide foster children the ability to select a day within their birth month to come aboard a Pure Florida sightseeing or sunset cruise for a special outing with their families. Provided by Pure Florida free of charge, families will receive personalized tickets for a cruise, along with a special gift for the foster child from Pure Florida: a shelling bag filled with stickers, pencils, a Pure Florida postcard and a birthday card from the entire Pure Florida team.
Serving Collier, Hendry and Glades counties, Friends of Foster Children Forever has relied on partnerships with local businesses to serve as sponsors to help underwrite the costs of services that previously required precious donation dollars to fund. Pure Florida has supported Friends of Foster Children Forever in the past through the donation of gift certificates to be given to families within the organization. The new partnership between Pure Florida and Friends of Foster Children Forever was developed to provide foster children a unique way to share a new, fun and memorable experience with their family.
“Every child deserves a birthday celebration surrounded by those who care for them, and our hope in bringing Birthday Club cruises to the families of Friends of Foster Children Forever is that every child that comes aboard feels loved and cherished,” said Lance H. Julian, co-founder of Pure Florida.
As the mother of adopted children, Robin Rosario, director of sales and events Collier County for Pure Florida, has felt a close connection to this organization and believed that Pure Florida had a unique opportunity to support a great cause.
“I understand how time spent as a family can be influential in the lives of foster children and encourage bonding between a child and their foster parents and siblings,” Rosario said. “Our team at Pure Florida is delighted to provide foster families a day of celebration on the water, not only for foster children celebrating a birthday, but their entire foster family, bringing fun and sunshine to these remarkable families as they make memories to last a lifetime.”
Each month, approximately 40-50 children within the Friends of Foster Children Forever Birthday Club will celebrate their birthdays. The group anticipates bringing Pure Florida’s birthday cruise experience to all available families within its first year.
“Many times, foster children, in times of emergency, are removed from their homes with nothing other than the clothes they are wearing – they have so little to call their own,” said Jane Billings, executive director of Friends of Foster Children Forever. “This day of celebration gives them a memorable gift that is fun to share and enjoy with the families that are caring for them.”
About Pure Florida
In 2009, father-and-son duo Captains Lance H. and Harry Julian acquired the Naples-based Double Sunshine and Lady Brett fishing vessel, and have grown the company to include 19 vessels and two locations providing a variety of unique eco-excursions for its visitors that incorporate maritime history, tourism, sightseeing and entertainment. With locations in Naples and Fort Myers, the water attraction company offers sunset and specialty cruises as well as boat and Jet Ski rentals, fishing charters, group events and educational field trips for schools and students. In addition to Pure Florida, the founders are also partners in Marine Team International and Pure Image Productions, providing professional marine consulting, television and video production and photography services. With a long history in maritime productions, Lance and Harry Julian have helped to create some of the most memorable water scenes in film production, with credits including “Titanic” and “Waterworld,” and television credits such as the reality show, “Survivor.” As the fourth and fifth generation working within the maritime industry, Lance and Harry Julian enjoy sharing their passion and expertise with fellow adventurers in the Southwest Florida area. For more information, visit www.PureFL.com or call its Naples location at 239-263-4949 or its Fort Myers location at 239-919-2965.
About Friends of Foster Children Forever
The mission of Friends of Foster Children Forever (FFCF) is to focus on the children they serve by providing targeted educational and enrichment opportunities that allow each child to fulfill his or her potential. The charitable organization works to fulfill the unmet needs of every child who enters, or is at risk of entering the foster care system in Collier, Hendry and Glades Counties. Foster children are the most vulnerable children in our community and through the FFCF Academic Mentoring program, these children develop a belief in themselves and that they can succeed. For more information about Friends of Foster Children of Forever or how to help, visit www.friendsoffosterchildren.net or call 239-262-1808.
