Each of our hotels, with young and spirited management teams, follows a mandate to be an active business member of its social community. Through the year, when a local cause or event offers participation, be it for holiday events or ongoing fundraising, we try to encourage our employees to be generous, imaginative and caring.

The BLACK ROCK INN, Our hotel in Fairfield, CT, has a theme running through the year, Black Rock Gives Back! ABCD, in Bridgeport, is their partner organization, www.abcd.org. Santa hosted 20 young children, with gifts and photos (WNW's VP Jonathan Reiss in costume), at lunch. Each gift was researched in advance, beautifully wrapped no surprise left out! At the hotel's front desk is a collection box, and guests have been very generous. The next event is in planning, hopefully themed as a book drive.

BEST WESTERN BLACK ROCK INN CELEBRATED
ITS SECOND 2ND BIRTHDAY WITH UNDERPRIVILEDGED KIDS

Twenty children from Action for Bridgeport Community Development Organization had a ball on June 24.

A broken down school bus didn't end a day's festivities - no, the Black Rock's dedicated staff traveled to Bridgeport instead. On With the Party, Kids! Activities included creative crafts making, with gifts to enjoy through the summer. Attending the event was the executive staff from WNW Hospitality Group, the Black Rock's owning company. Summer goody bags filled with real treasures were given to each child. What a day it was!

This was one of the many community events that the dedicated hotel staff hosts and celebrates. Gus Szkotnicki, General Manger noted his pride in the staff, just how much they give of themselves towards success.

ABOUT ABCD
Action for Bridgeport Community Development Inc. (ABCD), a 501 (c) (3) non-profit agency is designed as the anti-poverty agency for the Greater Bridgeport Area by the Office of Economic Opportunity. The agency aims to work with people toward the eradication of the "paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty in this nation." ABCD presently servers over 35,000 individuals annually through its broad range of services in a six-town area in Connecticut, covering Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford, and Trumbull.

Best Western Fort Lee chose a local food bank and partnered with Holy Trinity Church, asking guests to donate canned and boxed foods during their stay and it has been very successful! Weekly deliveries to the church kept the partnership real, with the hotels employees also participating.

Holiday Inn North Haven on September 4th held a fundraising lunch of the Big Brothers Big Sister's Education program for the town of North Haven. It was done in conjunction with our grand opening of our new restaurant and each person that dined with us for lunch and dinner $20.00 per person went to the program. Along with the event we ran a silent auction and in total raised close to $1900.00 for the cause. We also just recently supported BBBS once again in Bowl for Kids Sake where we raised $500.00+ once again going to their education program for students less fortunate in having a mentor or someone to help them advance their education. We will continue to raise money for BBBS as it is one of the organizations Holiday Inn is closely working with.

Heritage Hotel is very proud of long term associate, David Renza, asked the Heritage to contribute a prize during the 2007 campaign for the local branch of Big Brothers Big Sisters. David has personally been a much-loved Big Brother for a number of years, and the Heritage was pleased to support his fine efforts. His generosity was contagious, and Heritage management donated an Overnight Stay - Two Rounds of Golf -Sunday Brunch for Two. That raffle campaign earned BBBS $15,000, and the Heritage donation was certainly a good part of that.

The Chef From Heritage Hotel Discusses a Tasteful Event