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A chocolate for Valentine's Day at Odyssey

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Valentine is about celebrating and sharing our love for those that are close to our heart. It is about taking care of our loved ones, and is it not that we also love and care for our dear little four-legged friends, our pets! So this year we are not going to give you a recipe for making your own chocolate. We have done that in the past and you can find them here valentine - chocolate - feta - balls and chocolates and greek valentine chocolates. This year we offer you instead a free chocolate with love for our little animal friends, our pets, dear to us all.

So this year I have made an arrangement with Dimitris and Maria Vlachos, When you go to their sweets shop "Lemonodassos" in Galatas, they will give you one of their special chocolates. You just have to mention that you support the initiatives of the Poros Animal Welfare Society (Paws). You get this chocolate for free, because I have already paid for the chocolate. How? By giving a sweet donation to the "Paws", so they can continue their important job taking care of all the pets in Galatas & Poros

Here is my story for this years Valentines day.

As Odyssey family we feel the obligation to give back to the place we belong to. As our guests belong to our family, it is also their pleasure to give back to the place they feel home and so generously offers them peace, happiness and carelessness by participating in our actions.

At Odyssey Eco Glamping, we believe in the power of community and the importance of giving back. In a world where connections can sometimes feel distant, we aim to create a space that fosters both environmental sustainability and a sense of unity.

Giving back to the place we call home through charity work, donations and social support helps to unite the community and is an opportunity to grow as persons. It gives us a better understand of how we fit into the world around us and feel good while developing a positive culture. Our Odyssey is not only a place for a happy and relaxing vacation. Sustainability, our natural environment and our local a community have always been of high importance in our philosophy. Keeping traditions while moving forward, and helping our community as much as we can.

A volunteer act for stray animals is a beautiful expression of love, especially on Valentine's Day. By offering care, time, and compassion to these vulnerable creatures, you're showing a selfless kind of love that goes beyond romantic gestures. It’s about making a real, tangible difference in the lives of animals who often feel abandoned or neglected. This act of kindness embodies the true spirit of Valentine's Day, where love isn’t just about receiving, but about giving without expecting anything in return. Volunteering for stray animals isn’t just about helping them survive—it’s about giving them a chance at happiness, and in doing so, spreading love in the purest form. It's a perfect way to honour the day dedicated to love, not just for humans, but for all living beings.

That’s why we’re proud to offer free accommodations to a group of veterinarians from Denmark who are passionate about helping our community and the stray animals in our area. We’ve partnered with these selfless individuals who are dedicated to a noble cause: gathering and caring for stray cats. As part of their mission to help control the feral cat population and give these animals a better chance at life, we’re offering them a peaceful and free retreat at our eco-glamping site.

See more here: POROS ANIMAL WELFARE SOCIETY

and here: DFA - Danish Friends of Animals

Our partnership with this group has already been in place for the last 4 years. Together with them we’re teaming up with the local Animal Welfare Society, the local volunteers and the municipality. Everyone in the team is fulfilling their roll with grace and passion in this important work. Through this teamwork the group of vets manages to sterilise between 180 to 250 stray every time they are coming to Galatas.

The stray animal problem in Galatas, in Greece, particularly related to cats, is significantly due to overpopulation, lack of proper care and abandonment. The community has faced challenges with animals roaming the streets, which can lead to health issues, environmental concerns, and a strain on local resources. Stray cats often suffer from malnutrition, diseases, and unwanted litters, further exacerbating the situation.

Volunteer-based cat sterilization programs have been instrumental in addressing this issue. These programs focus on trapping, neutering, and returning (TNR) cats to their environments, preventing them from reproducing and reducing the overall stray population over time. By sterilizing the cats, these initiatives aim to control the population growth and improve the quality of life for the animals. Volunteers also help with feeding, providing medical care, and finding homes for those that are adoptable.

The sterilization efforts are crucial because they offer a humane and sustainable solution to the stray animal problem, rather than relying solely on removing or euthanizing animals. Over time, these initiatives can help stabilize the stray cat population in Galatas and create a healthier environment for both the animals and the community.

By providing a space to rest and recharge to the vets that are coming on a volunteer base to help with this problem in our community, we hope to support their important work, while also allowing them to experience the serenity and beauty of our glamping environment. It’s a small way we can give back to those who’ve served and those who are working tirelessly for a better future, both for animals and for our communities.

This initiative is a celebration of compassion—whether it's for those who have served our country or the stray animals that need care. We are honoured to contribute, and we look forward to seeing how these efforts can help make the world a kinder place.

At Odyssey we GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

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