World Wildlife Fund and The Fairmont Washington, D.C. Join Forces with Neighborhood School for Earth Day

Business Wire, April 15, 2008

Francis Middle School Students To Get Hands On Gardening Experience In Honor Of Earth Day

WASHINGTON -- On Friday, April 18, 2008, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and The Fairmont Washington, D.C. will joined forces for the fifth consecutive year to help students at Francis Middle School students learn about plants and gardening in honor of Earth Day.

Beginning at 9:00 a.m., staff members from WWF and Fairmont, will come equipped with plants, trees, flowers, gardening tools and gloves, to meet science students at the Francis Middle School. Students, teachers, WWF and Fairmont staff members will help clean the school grounds, before they begin planting trees, flowers and shrubs. The project, which celebrates Earth Day on April 22, is the fifth time the school, WWF and The Fairmont Washington, D.C. have teamed up to make their city block even more beautiful.

The community cleanup and gardening project will last from 9:00 a.m. until approximately 12 Noon. "It is wonderful to have such caring neighbors, who generously give their time and resources to our students and to our school," states Stephanie Crutchfield, principal of Francis Middle School. The school is located at 24th and N Streets, N.W., in the city's West End.

For more than 45 years, WWF has been protecting the future of nature. The largest multinational conservation organization in the world, WWF works in 100 countries and is supported by 1.2 million members in the United States and close to 5 million globally. WWF's unique way of working combines global reach with a foundation in science, involves action at every level, from local to global, and ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature.

A leader in the global hospitality industry, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is an extraordinary collection of luxury hotels which includes iconic landmarks like The Fairmont Banff Springs, Fairmont Monte Carlo and New York's The Plaza. Fairmont hotels are one-of-a-kind properties where sophisticated travellers can discover culturally rich experiences that are authentic to the destination. Situated in some of the most exclusive and pristine areas in the world, Fairmont is committed to responsible tourism and is an industry leader in sustainable hotel management with its award-winning Green Partnership program. Fairmont's portfolio includes 55 distinctive hotels, with plans to develop over 20 new properties in the coming years in destinations as diverse as Beijing, Abu Dhabi and South Africa.

Fairmont is owned by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, a leading global hotel company with over 85 hotels worldwide under the Raffles, Fairmont and Swissotel brands. The company also owns Fairmont and Raffles branded Residences, Estates and luxury private residence club properties. For more information or reservations, please call 1-800-441-1414 or visit www.fairmont.com.