Contact:
Bruce Beckham, CTP, Executive Director
(781) 821.5990
Carolyn Viles, CTC, Program Manager
Tourism Cares Provides Gulf Coast Restoration Grant to
Beauvoir, The Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library, Biloxi, Mississippi
-Fund to Assist Rebuilding After Hurricane Katrina-
Canton, MA, July 11, 2006: Tourism Cares announced today Beauvoir, The Jefferson Davis Home and Library will receive a Gulf Coast Restoration Fund grant to assist with the extensive repair and replacement work.
The sale of wristbands stating "Tourism Caring for the Gulf Coast" provided capital for the Gulf Coast Restoration Fund. Travel insurer TripMate matched all wristband sales, and travel industry notables including Ensemble Travel, Tauck World Discovery, VacationWired.com and Tourism Cares, provided matching donations at various events and conferences over the past 9 months.
Beauvoir was severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina. It is one of the few remaining historical sites on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It is listed on the National Historic Register, a National Historic Landmark, a Mississippi Archaeological Landmark, and was recently placed on the National Trust for Historic Places list of 11 Most Endangered Sites. The Grant provided by Tourism Cares is earmarked for the restoration of The Mansion and the Presidential Library.
Tourism is a most important economic generator in these devastated regions and the grants will assist in the restoring and rebuilding of these sites. Beauvoir is just one of many sites in need of physical and financial support to be brought back to its pre-Katrina stateliness, said Bruce Beckham, Executive Director of Tourism Cares. Beauvoir was a recipient of volunteer efforts provided by the Tourism Caring for America-Gulf Coast event in March, 2006.
Tourism Cares is a non-profit 501(c)(3) public charity, supported by the tourism industry, that gives back through scholarships to tourism students and grants to cultural and historic sites throughout the world. For additional information about Tourism Cares, please visit www.tourismcares.org.