Inspired Travels With Patti
Inspired Travels with Patti is your weekly invitation to see the world in a whole new way. Do you think travel has to be far away and expensive? Think again! Travel can be right in your own neighborhood—or across the globe—and it doesn’t have to cost a thing.
Hosted by Patti Hunt, this podcast is all about redefining what it means to travel. Each episode explores unique experiences, unforgettable adventures, and the people and places that make them special. Sometimes Patti will share her own journeys, and other times she’ll bring on inspiring guests to tell their stories.
Whether you’re seeking local adventures or dreaming of far-off destinations, Inspired Travels with Patti will spark your wanderlust and encourage you to see the extraordinary in the everyday.
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Inspired Travels With Patti
What Is Service-Based Travel? Helping Jamaica After the Hurricane
In this powerful episode I (Patti) down with Tonja Lesmeister, founder of Traveling With a Purpose (TAP), to explore the heart and impact of service-based travel. Tonja shares how her early social work and youth group experiences sparked a lifelong passion for cultural immersion and community support. She opens up about founding TAP, leading dozens of service trips to Jamaica, and building long-term partnerships with children’s homes and an autism school on the island. This episode also addresses the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Melissa and how TAP is responding with immediate relief efforts, family support, and future rebuilding plans. Whether you're curious about service trips or looking for ways to help, this conversation is both heartfelt and eye-opening.
Key Points
- Tonja’s first service trip and how her passion for global service began
- The founding story of Traveling With a Purpose (TAP)
- What makes service-based travel different from traditional volunteer trips
- How TAP matches traveler skills with real needs in Jamaican communities
- Hurricane Melissa’s destruction and the urgent need for support
- Requirements and expectations for joining a TAP service trip
- How service changes the traveler as much as the community
Resources & Links
Thank you for listening, I would love to hear from you, please leave me a comment or question here on the podcast page or on my social media channels and share with others that want to adventure.
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Links and Discounts
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