A Whistler second-home owner is renting out his exclusive condo, just off the men's Olympic downhill run, and giving the proceeds to charity.
"The biggest incentive was to make a significant contribution," said businessman George Peat, from Southampton in the U.K where he travels on business.
The luxury condo, part of the At Nature's Door development, sleeps eight, has its own hot tub, and is beautifully furnished. It will rent for $3,000 a night during the Olympics and $2,000 a night the week prior to the Games.
Peat has listed his Whistler residence with Home For The Games, a non-profit website that matches 2010 Olympic visitors with Whistler and Metro Vancouver hosts for more affordable short-term home stays. Half of the nightly fees will be directed to charitable organizations working to alleviate homelessness.
Peat has decided that the other half of the fee will be donated to St. George's private boys school for bursaries and scholarships.
"The whole thrust of this is that half of the money will go to Home For The Games and the other half will go to the school where my kids go and that money will be used for bursaries and scholarships for children that don't have the ability to pay for everything," he said.
Home For The Games will donate proceeds to the Streethome Foundation ( www.streethome.org ) and Covenant House (covenanthousebc.org).
"I was so amazed when he called and was interested in doing this," said Tracey Axelsson, acting project manager for Home For The Games.
"This is such an act of generosity. It really does show that people are interested in the Olympics for more than just the money it brings to town."
For more information about how to find accommodation through Home For The Games go to www.homeforthegames.com .
There's no fee to list or book a room on the Home For The Games website. Hosts can set their own rates and will receive a tax receipt for the portion of the home stay fee that goes to charity.
