03/26/2021
OUR 52ND WEEKLY UPDATE REGARDING
THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC -
AS HAS BEEN THE CASE OVER THE LAST SIX OR SEVEN WEEKS, THE NEWS IS ONLY MORE AND MORE POSITIVE. WE HAVE SOME GREAT NEW STATISTICS. AND AGAIN, WE FEATURE ANOTHER ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS AND FOUNDERS AND WILL CLOSE WITH SOME BEAUTIFULLY SENTIMENTAL AND HUMOROUS VIDEOS FOR YOU TO ENJOY.
FROM CHRIS KRARAS, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
“TRAVELING – IT LEAVES YOU SPEECHLESS, THEN TURNS YOU INTO A STORYTELLER!”
My Dear Friends:
It is so hard to believe that this week’s e-mail signifies one full year of weekly messages to you. I reflect back at so many of the messages that I sent to you week after week and month after month, and how the statistics evolved from very grim numbers to very hopeful numbers, and then back to some very concerning numbers. Now, finally, and I mean FINALLY, it appears that we have come to that “happy place” that we have been praying for. This past year, however, has obviously been challenging for all of us, and it is so exciting to see how far we have come.
Yes, it might seem a bit repetitive for you to hear how things are getting so much better day after day and week after week, but these are the facts. The news is all positive, and some of the statistics bear out the fact that we are nearing the end of this terrible pandemic. The number of positive cases being reported is down to below 50,000 a day across the entire United States. Just as important is the fact that we are vaccinating well over 2,500,000 people per day, and new vaccine centers are opening in all parts of the country. That all important term “HERD IMMUNITY” is now almost a total reality. A report from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and one from the Bloomberg School of Public Health, has stated in a Wall Street Journal Opinion Piece that America will, in fact, have achieved “Herd Immunity” by the middle of April. This news is so huge, my friends, and it just brings us all such a wonderful feeling of excitement and anticipation that we are finally able to put this behind us.
So what does this mean for all of you as Group Leaders, for all of your Group Members, and for White Star Tours? It simply means that we are going back to “business as usual” and we can start enjoying the life that we all enjoyed prior to the arrival of this pandemic a year ago. For many of your Group Members who have been very concerned, and for many of your Senior Centers, Churches, and other places where you gathered that are still concerned, share with them the good news that the pandemic is just about over. It is time to meet and enjoy one another’s company again and to get those plans in place to complete the travel arrangements that you have already made. At White Star Tours, we are so excited and enthused because so many trips are now starting to get on the road, and many more new bookings are coming in every day as everyone is coming to the realization that it is time to get out there, travel and enjoy the world as they had done for so long. THERE IS NO LONGER ANY REASON AT ALL TO WAIT, BECAUSE WE ARE THERE! Spread this good news and enthusiasm to all your people and give them that good feeling that they have been waiting for.
This next week is a wonderful week for everyone to start looking forward to the rest of this wonderful year. For most of the Christian Religions, Palm Sunday will be celebrated this Sunday, and then Easter to follow. For our Jewish friends, they will be celebrating Passover from March 27-April 4. To our Eastern Orthodox friends, they will be having their Easter on the first Sunday of May. As you can see there is so much to look forward to and celebrate!
Speaking of celebration, I thought I would just take a moment to tell you something about a very special day in the lives of many of our Family and Staff. As I am sure many of you know, our family is of Greek Descent. Each year on March 25th, we celebrate Greece’s Declaration of Independence from the Ottoman Empire. This March 25th is actually the 200th, or Bicentennial, Celebration of the Declaration which occurred back in 1821. The battle lasted for about eight years, but, finally, freedom was realized by Greece, with the aid of many other free countries of the world at the time. This day is a very special remembrance for many of us in our office whose Families have direct roots to Greece. Pictured are Metaxia, Pat, and Des from our office dressed in the Greek colors of blue and white on Greek Independence Day!
It is now time to talk about another Member of our Staff and one of our Founders. This week we are going to feature my sister, Angel, who is the wife of my side kick and partner for most of these fifty years, Mauro Cammarano Just like my other sister, Pat (Tula), we all grew up in the business of hospitality, and we always worked together, which we continue to do today. Angel has been very involved from the very beginning of White Star Tours and has always supported everything and every project that we were involved in. She can often be found in the office answering phones and doing anything she can to keep the spirits of all the Staff high and focused. In addition, one of Angel’s true traits is that she always brings along a very positive attitude and for that, we are all grateful. A special thanks, Angel, from your Big Brother and from all the Members of the White Star Staff. May God Bless you with good health and happiness!
Now it is time for some enjoyable videos that, hopefully, you look forward to every week. The first one will feature some real eye openers of people who had challenges earlier in their lives and who went on to become well known and went on to achieve much fame and glory. For some really good heartwarming stories, Click Here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLYECIjmnQs
Speaking of good-feeling stories, I think you will enjoy watching this video that comes to us from “America’s Got Talent”. This clip features an amazing young lady with some amazing talents. I know you will shed as many tears as I did when I watched this. Get a little tissue ready when you Click Here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paIYpech9pY
Finally, for some good old-fashioned humor to close my email message to you, enjoy the wonderful and wholesome humor of the famous comedian Jeff Allen by Clicking Here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2XbkDfyzQs
As another week comes to a close, I want to wish all of you continued good health and happiness. We hope we can hear from you over the next week to let us know the status of all your trips that you have planned with us. If you still have not decided on a trip, please give us a call and let us help make the best decision for you and your Group. May you and all your Family stay happy, healthy and safe. God Bless You All!
“ALL JOURNEYS HAVE SECRET DESTINATIONS OF
WHICH THE TRAVELER IS UNAWARE!”
