A Hallmark hunk issued an intriguing invitation to fans, who immediately started buzzing about it. Travis Van Winkle, one of the stars of the upcoming holiday movie, “Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True,” took to social media to extend the offer and explain the opportunity.
Travis Van Winkle Does School-Building Trips to Africa
In his new Instagram post caption, Van Winkle wrote, “Come along with me as I build a school in Santhiou Sine, Senegal and see what trek with @buildon is like ANDD if you’re called to, JOIN ME ON MY NEXT TWO BUILDS.”
Van Winkle is working with the organization buildOn for the upcoming projects. The organization’s tagline shares that they “unite people through service and education to ignite a more equitable future.”
BuildOn focuses on building schools in “eight of the economically poorest countries on the planet, providing access to education to hundreds of thousands of children, parents, and grandparents.”
The eight countries buildOn currently works in are Burkina Faso, Guatemala, Haiti, Malawi, Mali, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Senegal.
Van Winkle explained he’s putting together “a couple of teams to build two schools in 2027, and I’m looking for participants to go with me.” The Hallmark star even included his personal email address so those who may be seriously interested in joining him can contact him directly.
The actor further explained the commitment involved in working on the buildOn projects with him. He noted the school will be built either in Senegal or Malawi, or perhaps both.
He aims to have two teams with 16 people on each, and the trip will last 10 days “door to door.” In addition, each team will need to raise $100,000.
The schools educate the children in the community, but that’s not all. Van Winkle explained that adults can take classes at the schools at night and “get the chance to learn to read for the first time as well.”
Hallmark Fans Love His Passion for the Projects
In November 2022, Van Winkle shared an Instagram post containing highlights from another trip to Senegal with buildOn. “I ♥️ YOU SENEGAL,” he wrote.
Van Winkle noted he was inspired watching the kids work alongside their parents to build a school of their own. The trip was “Such a special way to celebrate my 40th birthday,” he shared.
In the video included in his new Instagram post, Van Winkle gave his followers a taste of the “vibrance and love” found in the community of Santhiou Sine.
He noted that buildOn has been doing these projects for 30 years. He also gave a quick tour of one of the schools in Senegal that he helped build five years ago.
One fan who commented gave some insight into how long Van Winkle has worked with buildOn, doing these school projects. “I was on the 2014 trek to Ecuador with you! That whole experience was so life changing and something I think about all the time. So glad to see you’re still doing it! Keep changing lives,” the comment read.
Another comment read, “I’d love to be part of this! If I can manage to take a sabbatical year in 2027, you can definitely count on me! We’ll be in this together, Trav!”
Someone else added, “You are one incredible good human. What you’ve done for those kids will forever be engraved in their hearts. Thank you for all that you do.”
