Program encourages volunteerism as part of global commitment to building communities.

Travelling may be time to get away from it all, but for many it's also an opportunity to learn about other people and places, and have a positive impact on the communities they visit.

This summer, Four Seasons hotels and resorts around the world are inviting guests to get involved in local community initiatives. The company has a longstanding commitment to building communities, as chronicled on the new Living Values website.

"More and more, our guests want to dig deeper and learn about the places they visit, and have a positive impact," says Luis Argote, general manager of Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas. "In Dallas, we've introduced a Build a Birdhouse, Grow a Tree program. Working with the Texas Tree Foundation, we're enhancing bird habitats among the 3000 trees that surround the Resort and raising money for forest preservation in the region."

Opportunities are as diverse as the communities where Four Seasons hotels and resorts are located. Activities vary from making donations to local hospices or helping serve meals to the less fortunate to walking shelter dogs or reading to orphaned children, cleaning up parks and beaches, or even spending a few hours volunteering at a museum.

"Volunteering is a wonderful thing that families can do together," suggests Armando Kraenzlin, regional vice president and general manager of Four Seasons Resorts Maldives. "It's a great learning experience, and sets children on a course for a lifetime of community participation and generosity towards others."

In addition, every Four Seasons hotel and resort worldwide is offering special packages this summer, featuring complimentary room nights, hotel credits and more. Families can often book a second room at half price, upgrade to a suite, or even rent a private residence so that everyone can stay together at Four Seasons.

Volunteering with Four Seasons

Plant trees - In many locations, guests can join in local tree planting programs that support the company's recent commitment to plant 10 Million Trees. This new global program was launched by Four Seasons in celebration of its 50th Birthday in 2011.

In Hawaii, guests can join efforts to plant up to 500,000 native koa trees on the Big Island and even keep tabs on its growth with a GPS tag, or help plant 1,800 fruit, shade and flowering trees around the golf course in Costa Rica. The latter is the latest initiative in the Resort's Growing Together program, which invites guests to participate in a variety of community programs.

Donate books, toys, clothing, food and more to those in need – Guests have the opportunity to fill backpacks with food for needy children in Las Vegas through Three Square Food Bank, donate meals and other necessities to Mumbai's street children through the Vatsalya Foundation, or contribute food and other necessities to dozens of charities worldwide.

Spend a few hours at a shelter, hospital or nursing home – There are many ways to make a difference, from reading to children at an orphanage in Jakarta to serving meals in a hospice in Buenos Aires. In Prague, guests who participate in a cooking class with the Hotel's chef will help prepare a meal for local families in need. In Mauritius, the Resort welcomes 60 local children to lunch each week, which guests can sponsor or join. In southern California, guests can pick produce that will be donated to the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County.

Give some love to animals – Four Seasons hotels and resorts in London, St. Louis, Doha, Whistler and the island of Lana'i work with local shelters, where guests are invited to walk dogs and spend time with animals in need.

Preserve the natural world – In Jackson Hole, hikers are encouraged to plant pheromone packets on whitebark pines to help control destruction of forests by mountain pine beetles. In the Maldives, guests can participate in the Resorts' coral propagation program to restore reefs, among many other sustainability and community programs. The Marine Discovery Centre, opened last year, is a good starting point for finding ways to have a positive impact on this island nation.

Keep it clean – Tourists flock to landmark places like New York's Central Park, Pinnacle Peak Park in Scottsdale, the beaches of the Seychelles and Hangzhou's West Lake. Now, guests of Four Seasons can help preserve their beauty for all to enjoy by participating in clean up programs.

Get involved in local cultures and traditions – In Philadelphia, local landmarks including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Franklin Institute welcome volunteers to work at special events and exhibitions. In Tokyo, guests can learn to fold origami cranes to be added to senbazuru strings, which bring together sets of 1000 cranes as a symbol of recovery to be sent to those affected by the recent earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis. Guests can also join Four Seasons employees in a fundraising drive for the Japanese Red Cross by visiting the Living Values website.