Delaware North employees will celebrate at Yosemite National Park in California, Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, Kennedy Space Center Visitor’s Complex in Florida, and in numerous locations across the country to highlight the environmental stewardship that takes place every day and join guests in creating a healthier and more sustainable environment.

Earth Day programs are created through GreenPath®, Delaware North’s corporate environmental management system. GreenPath is an innovative stewardship initiative that encompasses interpretation and education programs, facility and artifact care, community involvement, and ongoing commitment to corporate social responsibility.

2014 Earth Day Events

Fresno Reservations is Delaware North’s central reservations office in Fresno, Calif. Healthy eating and recycling is the focus for this year’s Earth Day events. Activities are designed so that employees better understand the importance of reuse and recycling. Each staff member will receive “seed paper” to grow wildflowers, herbs or vegetables. Additionally, employees will learn how to make homemade granola.

The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake is located in Geneva, Ohio. This 109-room conference and event facility is located in the heart of northeast Ohio’s wine country. Delaware North employees from the Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake will celebrate Earth Day with a cleanup of Geneva State Park on May 3. The team will work with local scout troops and all interested community members. New this year, the Lodge will partner with Connect 534, a local entity composed of businesses along State Route 534, whose goal is to support the community and encourage locals to get involved. Prior to the cleanup, volunteers will enjoy refreshments accompanied by a presentation about Earth Day and the lodge’s contributions. After the state park cleanup, Connect 534 will host an after party open to the public to create awareness about Earth Day and the state park community.

Gideon Putnam Resort is located in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. This 120-room conference and event space is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Earth Day 2014 will mark Gideon’s 7th annual event celebrated with St. Mary’s School in Saratoga Spa State Park. Fourth-grade students will clean up the park and plant trees. Let’s Talk About Trees is a hands-on field activity, led by a New York State Parks educator, that teaches students about tree identification, common species and historical uses. Delaware North will provide a lunch following the activities.

Grand Canyon National Park is located in Arizona. Delaware North provides retail and grocery services in the park and in nearby Tusayan, a gateway community to the park. Delaware North employees will participate in the park’s Earth Day celebration at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center with the U.S. National Park Service and park partners. Earth Day plans include providing interpretive signs on water conservation to educate guests on daily water consumption. The Chico “Plastic Bag Monster” will visit to inform guests about paper versus plastic bag usage and encourage reuse. Employees will use Earth Day trivia focused on water conservation to educate and engage guests.

Kalaloch Lodge is located in Forks, Wash. Set high on an Olympic Peninsula promontory overlooking a wild stretch of Pacific Northwest coast, Kalaloch Lodge is a classic seaside retreat with full access to the pristine wilderness and recreation at Olympic National Park. Employees from Kalaloch will celebrate Earth Day with three major events over three days. The events will kick off with the lodge’s annual Pacific Coast beach cleanup and picnic on April 19. The event is done in conjunction with the National Park Service and Coast Savers, a local non-profit organization. In the spirit of Earth Day and in support of the National Park Service’s Healthy Parks and Healthy People initiative, as well as the First Lady’s Move to Schools Program, Kalaloch Lodge is partnering with the local Queets-Clearwater school. The lodge’s chef will teach students about healthy food using demonstrations, the environmental manager will discuss stewardship and the students will participate in a cleanup around the Queets schools. On April 23, lodge employees, area community members and guests will clean up a 2-mile stretch through the Adopt-a-Road program. Lastly, the lodge will provide a discount on sustainable items for guests.

Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex is located in Florida. Delaware North will participate in NASA’s Earth Day Sustainability Fair. Highlights of the event include vendors sharing sustainability information, tree planting along Kennedy Space Center’s sustainable fitness trail, and tours of the Brevard County landfill to highlight its recycling and sustainability efforts. Delaware North is a major sponsor of Keep Brevard Beautiful, a local chapter of Keep America Beautiful. An e-waste collection will be conducted later in the year on America Recycles Day.

Niagara Falls State Park is located in Niagara Falls, N.Y. Delaware North provides visitor services, including food and retail. Earth Day will be celebrated in partnership with New York State Parks. Area sixth-grade students will be provided with an overview of Earth Day and actions they can take to help the environment. Students will enjoy interpretive tours of the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center and Cave of the Winds. Students will learn about alternative energy sources such as the solar panels used at the Discovery Center and eco-friendly vehicles from the New York Power Authority. Following a Delaware North-provided lunch, students will take a trolley to Goat Island, where they will plant native tree species in the park.

Peaks of Otter Lodge is located in Virginia along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The lodge conducted an e-waste collection onsite and supported an e-waste recycling event on April 5 hosted by the Keep Bedford Beautiful Commission. Earth Day at the lodge will be celebrated on April 26 in partnership with the National Park Service, the local community of Bedford and vendors. The National Park Service will lead two guided interpretive hikes. Delaware North will provide hands-on activities for children, as well as information on GreenPath and company initiatives to support Earth Day every day. 

Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park are located in Calif. Earth Day events will be celebrated April 19 at Wuksachi Lodge and Lodgepole in Sequoia National Park, and at John Muir Lodge in Kings Canyon National Park. Park partners and vendors will present interactive educational and interpretive opportunities such as wildlife displays, Junior Ranger wildlife investigation games, nature walks, natural and organic snacks tastings, souvenirs made from sustainable materials, recycling games, and giveaways. Guests will also have the opportunity to explore Sequoia’s animal and plant world with local educators. Wuksachi Lodge will host a two-hour interactive family program. Throughout this celebration, guests will enjoy sustainable food and wine options at The Peaks Restaurant.

Shenandoah National Park encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. Delaware North operates lodging in the park, including Skyland Resort, Big Meadows Lodge and Lewis Mountain Cabins. It also operates Spottswood and Pollock Dining Rooms, concessions and several gift shops. To celebrate Delaware North’s second Earth Day in Shenandoah, employees will pick up litter, partner with a vendor to educate guests on recycling and waste reduction, and share environmental information about the park with guests at various educational booths.

Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite is located in Fish Camp, Calif., just outside the Southern entrance to Yosemite National Park. This 302-room resort features meeting and event space, restaurants, shopping and the Ascent Spa. Tenaya Lodge’s Earth Day celebration for 2014 includes an evening of stargazing and hot cocoa with a local astronomer on the Terrace, a “Create a Bug” workshop with the Tenaya Guest Recreation team, an organic wine and cheese tasting, and chair massages by the Ascent Spa staff. On Earth Day, the gift shop and Ascent Spa will offer a 20 percent discount on all eco-friendly products. Additionally, the Sierra Restaurant and Jackalope’s Bar and Grill will offer organic, sustainable menu specials.

Yellowstone National Park is located primarily in Wyoming. Delaware North operates 12 Yellowstone General Stores, providing visitors with retail and food and beverage services while they visit the world’s first national park. The Yellowstone General Stores will celebrate Earth Day by offering a free reusable Yellowstone shopping bag to guests purchasing $22 or more in the stores. Environmentally-friendly products and information will be shared, and employees are encouraged to participate in the Earth Day events in the local communities of West Yellowstone and Gardiner, Mont.

Holiday Inn Yellowstone, Yellowstone Park Hotel, Gray Wolf Inn & Suites and the Explorer Cabins at Yellowstone are hotels owned and operated by Delaware North and all are located in West Yellowstone, Mont. Earth Day in West Yellowstone will be celebrated by Delaware North handing out green reusable bags and wildflower seed packets to students at local school events. There will also be an art contest event with the winner earning a place on next year’s green bag. A local sustainability scavenger hunt will also take place on Earth Day.

Yosemite National Park is located in California. Delaware North handles virtually all guest services at Yosemite. This includes lodges, camps, restaurants, and recreational services under contract with the National Park Service. This year’s Earth Day theme at Yosemite is “Stand Up for What You Stand On.” April 19 is Junior Ranger Day and to celebrate, a variety of activities are planned for children of all ages, including an Exploration Fair, Ranger Walk, bike ride, family night, and trash pickup. On April 22, an entire day of activities is planned for guests and the community in the Yosemite Valley to celebrate Earth Day. An interpretive photo walk features the work of Ansel Adams. Guests can also participate in a volunteer restoration project and an Earth Day/Junior Ranger Village Celebration. The celebration will offer sustainable foods and beverages, a universal waste collection, trash cleanup, an Earth-friendly product fair, and kid-friendly fun.

About Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts
Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts is an industry leader, providing Stewardship and Hospitality in Special Places (SM) with hotel, retail, food service, recreation and transportation operations at historic and scenic properties in North America and Australia. To learn more about Delaware North Companies’ hospitality management expertise, visit, 
www.DelawareNorth.com/parks-and-resorts-home.aspx

About Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is one of the largest and most admired privately held hospitality companies in the world. Founded and owned by the Jacobs family for nearly 100 years, it is a global leader in hospitality and food service. Its family of companies includes Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment, Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services, Delaware North Companies Sportservice, Delaware North Companies International and Delaware North Companies Boston, owner of TD Garden. Delaware North Companies has revenue exceeding $2.9 billion annually and 55,000 associates serving half a billion customers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.DelawareNorth.com.

Contact:
Laura Gray
716-858-5671
Corporate Communications
Delaware North Companies