Do Good by Helping These Do Well

At this holiday time, I draw your attention to several nonprofit travel-related groups that serve important causes. One operates needed programs for young travelers, another for mature travelers; others promote the advancement of learning or environmental protection. All should be supported:

* Sierra Club Outings; (415) 977-5522, www.sierraclub.org/outings/national. These defenders of our natural heritage offer 330 outdoor trips each year, including walking, climbing, rafting, kayaking and sailing, starting at $40 a day, all in support of a 99-year-old effort to protect the environment. Request a catalog.

* International Bicycle Fund; (206) 767-0848, www.ibike.org/ibike. Most notable for its Africa bike program (visiting such nations as Kenya, Uganda and Mali), this nonprofit uses biking as a means (of transport) to an honorable end: cultural exchange. Bikers visit schools, villages and historical sites and, most important, engage in discussions with the country’s people, all for well under $100 a day.

* Council Travel, (800) 226-8624, www.counciltravel.com, is the granddaddy of student travel in the United States, having helped collegians plan their learning and adventures abroad for more than five decades. A clearinghouse for information on study, work and volunteer programs abroad, Council also secures low-priced seats on flights and books clients on student-geared tours throughout the world, enabling upcoming generations to broaden their lives and experiences.

* World Fellowship Center of New Hampshire; (603) 447-2280, www.worldfellowship.org. Nearly 60 years old, this is one of America’s longest-running summer camps for adults. It is inexpensive and serious, devoted to seminars and classes on important issues in world affairs and personal growth. Weekly residential programs are offered from late June to mid-September on 453 acres of forested trails and ponds, with many options for recreation. All meals and tuition are included; charges can run as low as $275, with an average of $400 to $470 per adult, per week.

The Chautauqua Institution; (800) 836-2787,

www.chautauqua-inst.org. Chautauqua essentially invented the learning vacation more than 125 years ago and has maintained its high quality ever since. At the nonprofit’s western New York state campus, gate fees start at $37 daily and $190 weekly during the nine-week summer sessions. Guests can enjoy golf, boating and swimming, as well as lectures (some given by nationally recognized names) and reasonably priced concerts, films and plays. The 400 classes cost as little as $45 weekly, and staying on campus starts at $50 per week.