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Industry Pro's New Position Encourages Responsible Travel and Adaptive Adventure Programs

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Tuesday, November 8, 2011

(Dive Travel Business News - November 8, 2011) -- After seven years of business, and twice being recognized as one of the 100 Fastest Growing Businesses in the Philadelphia area, Indian Valley Scuba is changing leadership.  Founder David Valaika recently announced his decision to turn over the reigns of the Northeast’s leading dive center to the team he built. 

The change will allow Valaika to focus on projects closer to his heart, especially his altruistic work in developing Adaptive Diving Programs through the non-profit charity he founded in 2006, IAHD-Americas (www.iahd-americas.org). 

An avid adventurer and philanthropist, Valaika has recently founded another non-profit, Live Life No Limits (L3N), with the mission to provide opportunities for persons of all abilities to live life to the fullest and give back to others along the journey, through adaptive sports & adventure programs and sustainable travel expeditions. Indian Valley Travel (www.indianvalleytravel.com) is already on board as an L3N partner, offering accessible adventures, cruises, and “eco-positive” sustainable expeditions worldwide.  In 2012 they’ll be visiting Egypt, Fiji, Spain, the UK, and a number of Caribbean and Latin American destinations, and each trip has a special purpose or focus to enrich not only the lives of the participants, but of the communities they visit as well.   

When asked about the change, Valaika responded “My passion is in building and growing businesses. Having achieved numerous milestones within the industry, I feel I have contributed everything I can to this dive business.  My direction and focus have evolved, and now it’s time for the IVS team to go forth and fly under their own power.  I wish them the very best as they continue to serve the local diving community, now and into the future”. 

Valaika and his team debuted IAHD-Americas, Indian Valley Travel and L3N at DEMA Show 2011 in Orlando, November 2-5, 2011.  At the Show, Valaika was recognized by SSI as a Platinum Pro Diver Award recipient, for his contributions to the scuba industry.   Valaika is also an active PADI Course Director & Instructor Trainer with a number of major dive training agencies.  He has certified nearly 2,000 divers from Open Water through Instructor levels, and plans to continue to offer his recreational and technical training expertise to the following he has developed over his past 30-plus years in the industry.

“I’m thankful to be in a position in life where I can channel my energies into helping others and seeing these organizations flourish and grow.  The response has been nothing less than overwhelming and the requests from destinations for us to build programs to address the communities needs come in daily,” says Valaika, “My only regret, if I have one, is that I didn’t get started on this work earlier.” 

For more information visit the L3N website or contact 800-327-8150.