More incredible news today! The ecotourism company Spirit Bear Lodge announced that they are donating $4500 to Pull Together, on behalf of the recent guests who requested that their trip cost be donated to Pull Together.

This donation will be doubled, to make a total of $9000. A huge thank-you to everyone at Spirit Bear Lodge for your enormous generosity!

“The Spirit Bear and the Great Bear Rainforest are too precious to all of humanity to let Enbridge take chances with the future of the coast,” said Spirit Bear Lodge General Manager Tim McGrady. “The Kitasoo/Xaixais have worked too hard to build a sustainable future based on tourism and their marine resources to see it put in jeopardy by the Northern Gateway Project. We fully support the Pull Together campaign.”

“The Kitasoo/Xaixais have made very significant investments in our community-owned Spirit Bear Lodge,” said Douglas Neasloss, Resource Stewardship Director/Councillor, Kitasoo/Xaixais Nation. “With over 350 visitors from around the globe visiting our small community annually to see the rare Spirit Bear, we will do whatever it takes to protect our marine and terrestrial ecosystem from the threats posed by Northern Gateway. We are pleased to support the Pull Together campaign to let Canada and the world know that the Coastal First Nations stand together for an oil free coast.

Spirit Bear Lodge is a community-based ecotourism venture owned and operated by the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation in the small, remote fishing village of Klemtu, located 280 nautical miles north of Vancouver. Built in 2007, it features twelve rooms and offers guests the opportunity to see the unique grizzly and spirit bear populations of the Great Bear Rainforest.

“Spirit Bear Lodge challenges other tourism operators who depend on B.C.’s unspoiled beauty to join Pull Together,” said McGrady. “We’re all in this together—our livelihoods and our way of life are at stake, so let’s invest in a prosperous future by helping stop Enbridge.”

Pull Together has raised more than $500,000 towards its new target of $600,000 for the First Nations legal challenges. Individuals, community groups and businesses have donated and organized events ranging from music concerts and bake sales.  Moksha Yoga has raised over $13,000 and Denman Island Chocolate is donating the revenue from Pull Together-branded chocolate bars.

In the past month alone, Pull Together events have included an art auction in Terrace, a seafood festival and community dance on Haida Gwaii, a climate change cabaret in Nanaimo, a house concert in Victoria, a restaurant in Vancouver that donated 25% of their revenue on earth day, and a growing list of over 24 businesses around BC (from Prince George to Port Coquitlam) and in Calgary AB that are selling the Pull Together chocolate bars.

Spirit Bear Lodge: http://www.spiritbear.com/