A few weeks ago I thought to myself, and consequently it ended up in a column, that I don’t see traditional tinsel holiday décor in 2020, it was such a turbulent year with so many losses, how can we possibly resort to same-old/same-old glitzy ornaments and ribbons at year’s end? It seemed dissonant, after all that our community went through, in the past nine months.
Management at the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino apparently felt the same, this year the resort is spreading its love for the community with a unique fund-raising drive.
The goal is to encourage guests and colleagues to help build a tiered poinsettia holiday tree in the lobby, with donations to Fundacion Pa Nos Comunidad.
Instead of the decked tree as the focal décor point for its lobby during the holiday season, General Manager Vasco Baselli came up with a creative way of involving the community, uniting locals and visitors for a good cause.
Since September, resort Team Members have been volunteering with the FPNC food bank, at Kibrahacha. They jointly invested in excess of 5,800 volunteer hours, a very humbling experience that clearly demonstrates there is great need in our community.
The initiative, says Baselli, is near and dear to our hearts, as Team Members now truly understand that no work means no food, and though the economy is improving, it’s not improving fast enough, and many are still suffering because of the pandemic, and the financial downturn. We now understand very well the important role the food bank plays in this community, providing food baskets for families in trouble, makes a big difference.
FPNC’s mission is to fight and hopefully end poverty, emotional distress and social exclusion on the island. Prior to the pandemic, the food bank supported approximately 200 Aruban families per month with food baskets. At this time, the food bank is supporting more than 6,000 families with relief packages.
This colossal food drive, wouldn’t have been possible without the financial support of generous individuals and organizations.
Visitors and locals who would like to help support the island’s food bank with food donations, are asked to visit the resort front desk or the sunset concierge, to purchase a poinsettia for $25.
The poinsettia will be added to the lobby’s tree display where each individual flower will become part of the greater, common good.
Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino will be purchasing food with 100% of the funds collected, and donating the food to the food bank, so that its essential work can go on, as long as the need is there.
Purchase a poinsettia for $25 to help build the Hilton’s poinsettia holiday tree. I bought mine yesterday, it was easy, and it felt good.
