If you read our last post about the Rise Up familia, you would’ve seen that well over half of our staff are locals. They’re the ones that make Rise Up the success that it is, and they’re also the one’s working quietly behind the scenes, day in and day out, all year round, to make sure that every detail is taken care of. So we’re always trying to think about ways that we can give back to them and show them how much they mean to the Rise Up familia.
Even though Aposentillo is a thriving and supportive community, the locals often still lack the same opportunity that is afforded to tourists who come down to explore their piece of paradise. So at Rise Up, we make it a priority to offer our staff the same experiences that we offer our guests.
Some time ago, we started offering weekly surfing classes to any of the locals that wanted them. Honestly, we weren’t sure how much of a success they would be, especially since many of the staff were not confident swimmers, but we couldn’t have been more wrong.
Every week, without fail, our local staff show up to the Rise Up beach with their game faces on. And every week, our instructors volunteer to support them. They have improved so rapidly since we started the program and are always having a blast. It’s truly one of the most meaningful parts of our experience down here and we wish we had started doing it sooner.
We also offer a free weekly Yoga class for any of the local staff that want to stretch out their aches and pains and work on their flexibility. It’s taught in Spanish and, if it’s available, in the same ocean-view shala that our guests get to enjoy.
It always feels good to give back to a community that has given us so much, and has asked for so little in return. So if you’re interested in contributing when you visit us next, we are always looking for donations to go toward the local school and improving the conditions there.
We make a monthly contributions to the school, so whether you’ve got a little extra cash to spare, or can get your hands on school supplies, we would love to help you with the process. We’re also looking to do a re-vamp of the school next winter which will include completing water supply to the school. the estimated cost is $25000 and all monetary donation will go toward the project.
Just let us know that you’d like to give a little when you book your stay with us and we’ll let you know what is most needed at that time.
