1974 - Elderhostel co-founder Marty Knowlton returns from a four-year
walking tour of Europe where he learned firsthand about youth hostels
and Scandinavian folk schools. Knowlton shares his travel stories with
longtime friend David Bianco. Through a series of lively discussion, Elderhostel
is born.
1975 - 220 "pioneer" Elderhostelers take their
first Elderhostel programs on a handful of college campuses in New Hampshire.
1976 - 21 colleges in six states offer 69 Elderhostel
programs to 2,000 enrollees.
1977 - Elderhostel is established as an independent
not-for-profit organization. A Board of Directors is formed. Bill Berkeley
is chosen as Elderhostel’s first president and is joined by Mike
Zoob and Jerry Foster as Elderhostel’s first administrators.
1980 - Elderhostel programs are offered in all 50 U.S.
states and in most Canadian provinces, and operate in months other than
summer opening the way for year-round programming. More than 20,000 Elderhostelers
participate.
1981 - The first international Elderhostel programs are
offered in Great Britain and Scandinavia.
1982 - Registration using tickets as placeholders evolves
into a registration system. Elderhostel launches The Independence Fund
(now called The Annual Fund) to help meet expenses without raising prices
and to fund the Elderhostel Scholarship program.
1984 - More than 20,000 Elderhostelers venture
overseas
on International programs.
1985 - The first Intergenerational programs are
offered,
pairing grandparents with their grandchildren.
1986 - Elderhostel passes the 100,000 annual enrollment
mark.
1988 - The first Elderhostel programs are offered
in China. Elderhostel establishes the Elderhostel Institute Network
to support the Institute for Learning in Retirement movement. |
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1989 - Elderhostel provides a half million dollars in
scholarships to income-eligible Elderhostelers.
1991 - Elderhostel's mailing list tops a half-million.
1993 - Elderhostel's Great Britain and Ireland office
opens.
1997 - Elderhostel president Bill Berkeley retires.
Stephen H. Richards is named Elderhostel's second president. The Elderhostel
Website is launched.
1998 - Registration offices are moved to Lowell, MA.
Registrations are accepted online. Toll-free registration/fax lines are
introduced.
1998 - Ships and barges in the U.S. become floating
classrooms following 10 years of success on International waters and Elderhostel
sets sail with the first Adventure Afloat catalog.
1999 - Enrollments top 250,000 per year. Elderhostelers
begin receiving communications via email. Elderhostel purchases its first
building in downtown Boston to serve as headquarters.
2000 - Elderhostel launches its first capital campaign,
Share the Journey, The Elderhostel Campaign for Lifelong Learning,
to help fund the headquarters building, new program development, and the
upgrade of Elderhostel's technology infrastructure.
2001 - Elderhostel programs are offered in more than
100 countries. Exploring North America programs are introduced to trace
themes and follow itineraries across the US and Canada. More than 170,000
people receive regular email bulletins. The new Elderhostel Web site is
launched.
2002 - James Moses, who joined Elderhostel in 1979,
is appointed Elderhostel's third President. Elderhostel launches the Elderhostel
Ambassador and Alumni Association initiatives to help spur the organization’s
grassroots network.
2003 - Elderhostel introduces Day of Discovery (one-day
community based programs) and Snapshot programs (3-5 day learning adventures).
First volunteer conference held at Elderhostel’s Boston headquarters
for Elderhostel Ambassadors and Alumni groups.
2004 - Elderhostel launches Road Scholar, a new series
of adventurous, experiential learning programs. The Elderhostel Alumni
Association tops 50 groups nationwide.
2005 - Elderhostel celebrates its 30th year of operation
with a special series of 30th Anniversary programs and celebratory events
in the UK and at Elderhostel’s Boston headquarters, and designates
the anniversary year as the “Year of the Instructor.”
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