Sam Gray is a native of Boulder, Colorado. Soon after he graduated from University of Colorado at Boulder, he made a commitment to the Peace Corps. He has a long history of humanitarian services, and he wanted to do what he could to give back to the world. Sam Gray is well educated with degrees in economics and international affairs. He is also a certified English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor. He hoped that with this education, he would be an asset to the Peace Corps and to the community he was stationed in.
Sam Gray’s hopes came true after he was sent to El Limon, Samana in the Dominican Republic. El Limon is a small municipality with an economy based on agriculture, fishing and tourism. The local fishermen had previously made their living by fishing for tilapia in Laguna Limon. However they, and the rest of the locals of El Limon became concerned about their impact on Laguna Limon. The community decided to find a new way to use the Laguna and the land to make money. Ecotourism was the obvious answer. The locals decided to develop an ecotourism project that protected Laguna Limon, and educated visitors about the wildlife and human impacts on the environment. Kayak Limon was born, and the locals received three kayaks, two American volunteers and a series of training from the Peace Corps and USAID.
Sam Gray of Boulder was one of the two American volunteers who joined the project. They helped train the locals on safety precautions and business practices. Gray also helped the market their business by using information technology. Gray worked hard alongside the local fishermen, and their labors paid off. Though Kayak Limon is still a new project and business, it is growing and developing regularly. It is well on its way to becoming a booming tourist attraction. Kayak Limon is unique because the guides have made it their mission to responsibly display the beautiful Laguna Limon to visitors, while educating them about climate change and human impacts on the environment. Sam Gray of Boulder and the local fishermen are proud of their successful ecotourism project and the services they provide their visitors. More information on the project is available at https://kayaklimon.wordpress.com.
About: Sam Gray, a native of Boulder, Colorado, is working in El Limon to help locals build an ecotourism project.