Fairmont Announces Initiative to Help Its Communities Flourish
Marketwired
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Aug 13, 2013) - This September, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts will reach out and support local charitable organizations during the luxury hotel brand's Community Connections Month. As part of Fairmont's new Sustainability Partnership program and the brand's ongoing commitment to proactively engage with its local communities, hotel colleagues in participating locations will be rolling up their sleeves and pitching in, whether it be volunteering at a shelter, highlighting the preservation of a threatened species like bees, raising funds for at-risk children or lending a helping hand (or hammer!) to improve facilities for the elderly. Hotel guests can also get involved from donating money or purchasing special menu offerings to participating in a beach clean-up.
"At Fairmont, we are continually seeking out innovative ways to support and give back to our local communities; a pledge that our hotel colleagues value and actively play a part in," said the brand's president Jennifer Fox. "It's simply part of our ongoing commitment to good corporate citizenship."
Highlights include:
Canada
In partnership with the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre (SLCC), and the Spirit Within Festival, The Fairmont Chateau Whistler will highlight the preservation of First Nation's heritage during the week of September 22. Aboriginal dancers and artists will be showcased in the hotel's lobby and restaurants, and specialty menu items will be created with proceeds being donated to the SLCC. The hotel will also host a Fairmont Futures seminar for First Nations youth to foster career development.
During the week of September 22-29, Vancouver's The Fairmont Waterfront will invite guests and community members to the hotel's terrace apiary to learn about the environmental benefits of bees and their importance to sustainability. Daily 3 p.m. tours will focus on the symbiotic relationship between chefs and bees, the environmental benefits bees provide and how the hotel minimizes ecosystem disturbance by supporting the efforts of the local Honeybee Center. Other properties offering awareness activities in support of local bee projects include London's The Savoy and The Fairmont San Francisco.
Colleagues of Ottawa's Fairmont Château Laurier will hold a week long clothing drive focusing on suits and business casual clothing. Items collected will be donated to Dress for Success, an organization which assists women who are preparing for job interviews and could not otherwise afford to buy a "power suit", and The Ottawa Mission, which has a similar program for men who are ready to join the workforce. Guests can participate in this special clothing drive taking place from September 16-21.
On September 18, Fairmont Le Château Frontenac in Quebec City will set up a walk-through kiosk in front of the hotel on the Dufferin Boardwalk, selling the hotel's signature pastries and muffins along with coffee. Guests, visitors and locals can also meet with hotel chefs. All proceeds will go to the Centre de Pédiatrie sociale de Québec (Center of social Pediatry of Quebec) which supports local children and families in vulnerable situations, ensuring their well-being and optimal development.
United States
On September 20, colleagues of The Fairmont Olympic, Seattle will be working with The Pike Place Market Foundation to transform the famed market's Food Bank and Seniors Center with a fresh coat of paint, ensuring this city landmark remains a vibrant and clean place for the entire community. The Pike Place Market Foundation helps a diverse community to live and thrive at Pike Place Market by feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, educating children, and finding homes for those in need.
Fairmont properties in Boston will focus on supporting the city's most vulnerable. Fairmont Battery Wharf will partner with The Greater Boston Food Bank to hold a food drive at the hotel from September 9 to 18, and hotel colleagues will volunteer at the Food Bank, sorting and packaging donated food. The Fairmont Copley Plaza will participate in St. Francis House's "High Five to Help the Homeless" program by providing five colleagues for five volunteer hours daily during the week of September 9, offering services to guests at the shelter. This volunteer program is also available to hotel guests who have specified Philanthropy as their passion in their Fairmont President's Club (FPC) profiles.
The Fairmont Dallas has partnered with Hearts & Hammers and hotel colleagues will assist with home repairs for a senior citizen in need, ensuring that the property is functional and in compliance with local safety codes. The project will take place between September 14-21, and will include painting, landscaping, cleaning, replacing wood panels, installing a staircase handrail, repairing doors, and heating system repairs.
On September 25, Fairmont Washington D.C,Georgetown will hold a carwash for D.C. taxi cabs, with proceeds going to Best Buddies, an organization supporting people with intellectual disabilities. From September 23-27 the hotel will also hold a drive for the Washington Animal Rescue League, collecting items such as toys, blankets and monetary donations.
Colleagues of Fairmont Pittsburgh are embracing literacy as their outreach project during the week of September 23-27, collecting books for the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council (GPLC) and attending English as a second language classes, where they will practice conversation skills with students.
Fairmont Heritage Place, Franz Klammer Lodge in Telluride invite owners, guests and colleagues to join in Grow Dome Volunteer Week from September 22-29. The Grow Dome is located behind the Telluride Middle & High School and provides healthy, homegrown ingredients for the school cafeteria. Volunteering will be flexible and duties will range from watering and weeding to planting and harvesting, all while supporting local students.
Bermuda & Mexico
"Keep it clean" is the focus for Fairmont's two hotels on the island of Bermuda during the month of September. The Fairmont Southampton and The Fairmont Hamilton Princess will join forces on a beach clean-up, inviting guests to participate with hotel Sustainability Teams and Keep Bermuda Beautiful.
Fairmont Mayakoba on Mexico's Riviera Maya will raise awareness of the protection of one of its key local environmental features, the coral reef. From September 9-16, in alliance with Oceanus A.C, the resort will offer beach clean-ups, recycling workshops, arts & crafts and cooking classes focusing on the lion fish, an invasive species harming the local ecosystem. All proceeds will be used to assist in reforesting the reef.
Other Fairmont properties doing their part to keep their local environments tidy, be it nearby parks, coastlines, beachfronts or river banks include London's The Savoy (September 6), The Fairmont Empress in Victoria (September 21), Hawaii's The Fairmont Orchid (week of September 23), The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui (September 21), Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica (September 16-20) The Fairmont San Francisco (September 21), Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park (September 19), and Fairmont Singapore (October 1).
Europe
The support of children and families in need is the focus for Fairmont's properties in Europe. Scotland's Fairmont St Andrews will raise funds for its new partner, Aberlour. On September 22, the hotel will host the St Andrews Kilt Walk through the 520 acre coastal resort area, with tartan clothing being mandatory! Guests can also enjoy a special themed "Childhood Treasures" Afternoon Tea in the Kittocks Den bar, featuring sentimental treats. Fairmont Le Montreux Palace is hosting an energetic Zumba class on October 3rd to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish of Switzerland Foundation. The class costs CHF 15, and the hotel will match all monies raised for this international wish-granting organization. During the week of September 29, Fairmont Monte Carlo colleagues will hold a toy drive to support the Les Enfants de Frankie association by providing items for their Christmas celebration.
Middle East & Africa
Ahead of universal breast cancer awareness month in October, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in the United Arab Emirates has teamed up with luxury cosmetics company Estee Lauder to launch the "Passion in Pink" week from September 23-30, with various activities focusing on raising awareness and early detection. These include a pink themed Afternoon Tea at Dubai's Fairmont The Palm, with specialty sweet and savory items paired with a bespoke Estee Lauder scent. Fairmont Dubai will auction off a private dining session with Executive Chef Lorraine Sinclair to be enjoyed in one's guestroom or home in the UAE. Abu Dhabi's Fairmont Bab Al Bahr will host a mobile pink caravan at its doorstep, offering free screenings and consultation.
Fairmont Zimbali Resort and Fairmont Zimbali Lodge will hold Arbour Week from September 2-8. Working with local partners, they will plant trees and create a restful space for the community to enjoy.
Asia
Manila's Fairmont Makati will aid the Tuloy Foundation Inc., a local charity for street children. A series of fun activities, including bingo, a "vintage" store selling gently used items and a water bottle sale have been planned, raising funds to support the charity's Aquaponics project, and the creation of a herb and vegetable garden. The total donation will be presented during the week of September 15-21.
During the week of September 29th, Fairmont Singapore will undertake activities that highlight the hotel's ongoing charitable initiatives. Colleagues will deliver delicious dinner treats to a home for the elderly, in collaboration with Food From The Heart, and the hotel will host a Children's Day celebration, inviting ten young people with life-threatening conditions to enjoy a pizza making session with the hotel chefs, a sumptuous high tea spread, and customized gift hampers.
Find out more by contacting your local Fairmont or visit fairmont.com/corporate-responsibility/ for additional information on our corporate responsibility programming.
About Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is a celebrated collection of more than 65 luxury properties around the globe, including Shanghai's Fairmont Peace Hotel, The Plaza in New York, and Makkah Clock Royal Tower in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The luxury brand's distinctive hotels offer a sense of heritage and sophistication, warm, engaging service and culturally rich experiences. Fairmont balances the company's economic, environmental and social priorities and provides the framework for responsible hotel operations through the Sustainability Partnership program. Fairmont is owned by FRHI Holdings Limited, a leading global hotel company with over 100 hotels under the Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissôtel brands. The company also manages Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel branded luxury private residence clubs, whole-ownership residences and serviced residences properties. For more information or reservations, please call 1-800-441-1414 or visit fairmont.com. Become a fan of Fairmont. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and EveryonesAnOriginal.
