Delaware North Companies, a global leader in food service and hospitality, is set to celebrate Earth Day on Wednesday with a variety of events at its corporate headquarters and locations across the country.
 
Planned activities include an interactive presentation by the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund at Delaware North’s corporate office in Buffalo, N.Y. and a celebration of Daytona Beach Kennel Club’s recent gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
 
Delaware North helped bring environmental responsibility to the hospitality industry in the mid-1990s after earning a variety of foodservice, lodging and management contracts at such places as Yosemite, Sequoia and Grand Canyon national parks and Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Today, the company’s environmental management system, GreenPath®, encompasses company operations at sports stadiums and arenas, airports, entertainment venues, state and national parks and travel destinations.
 
Delaware North’s Earth Day activities include:
 
Corporate Headquarters, Buffalo, N.Y.
Delaware North Companies’ corporate headquarters will celebrate Earth Day and its recent national agreement with PepsiCo during a presentation to associates that features the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund. Delaware North associates from around the country will listen via audio conference and can ask questions.
 
Delaware North will also formally announce it is developing a community garden with the Boys & Girls Club of Buffalo. The community garden’s harvest will feed club members, their families and community members. Delaware North’s corporate office also undertook an extensive paper recycling initiative in the week leading up to Earth Day.
 
Daytona Beach Kennel Club, Daytona Beach, Fla..
Daytona Beach Kennel Club & Poker Room celebrated its recent Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council with an Earth Day celebration April 19. The event was free to the public and featured tours of the facility, presentations from local organizations and a benefit poker tournament. The $30 million facility, which opened in 2008, is the first LEED-certified building in Daytona Beach and the first gold-LEED-certified building in VolusiaCounty.
 
Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, Wheeling, W.V.
Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack will once again hold its annual Wheeling Island Cleanup event. Delaware North associates and Wheeling community volunteers join forces each year to clean the gaming facility's grounds and are then treated to a free T-shirt and a picnic with hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips and various other snacks.
 
Tenaya Lodge, Fish Camp, Calif.
Tenaya Lodge in Fish Camp, Calif., hosted an Earth Day adventure for children ages 5 to 12 on Saturday. Participants created organic crafts using items they found on a nature walk and heard stories about Earth Day while enjoying snacks. On Wednesday, staff members will take to the surrounding trails for cleanup efforts. Guests will also be invited to take part in complimentary hikes, during which they'll receive a water bottle and hear educational stories.
 
Fresno Reservations Call Center, Fresno, Calif.
Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts’ FresnoReservationCallCenter will host its second annual dirty sock contest. To participate, employees must place a brand-new, clean, white sock over their vehicle's exhaust pipes and run the engine for 30 seconds. There are prizes for the cleanest and dirtiest socks. Other events include an organic potluck dinner and an Earth Day crossword puzzle.
 
Sequoia National Park, Three Rivers, Calif.
SequoiaNational Park hosted an Earth Day Fair Saturday at the LodgepoleRetailCenter adjacent to the National Park Service Visitor Center. Attendees were treated to giveaways, took part in activities and sampled food. On Earth Day, Delaware North associates will have a booth in the Visalia Earth Day Fair. Environmental Manager Suzie Schulz will staff the booth and pass out information about the company and its environmental achievements.
 
Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, Calif.
Delaware North has planned a number of Earth Day activities that will educate and enlighten guests and local community members over a four-day span. The extensive list of Earth Day programs includes an Earth Day family night, photography classes, an EarthDance Film Festival, a special presentation of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax and a visit from the YosemiteNational Park marching band.
 
Gideon Putnam Resort, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Area elementary-school children will visit Gideon Putnam Resort and SaratogaSpaState Park for Earth Day activities. Delaware North associates will guide the youngsters as they clean up the state park, take a nature hike, plant trees and enjoy lunch at Gideon Putnam Resort.
 
The Lodge at Geneva-on the-Lake, Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio
The Lodge at Geneva-on the-Lake is offering studentsthe chance to compete in an Earth Day poster contest and an aluminumcan recycling contest, which has as its prizea pool-and-pizza party. Delaware North associates are also hostinga park cleanup.
 
Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, Calif.
Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds hasinvited more than 100 fourth-grade students, teachersand parents to participate in an Earth Day poster contestand cake cutting ceremony. Delaware North willalso take part in a public Earth Day event at theCustomHousePlaza in MontereyStateHistoricPark.
 
GreatAmerican Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
Delaware North Sportservice associates at GreatAmericanBallPark joined forces Saturday with the Cincinnati Recreation Commission (CRC) to clean up an area park. The group will also enjoy an educational tour of the RumpkeRecyclingCenter in St. Bernard, Ohio.
 
Hammons Field, Springfield, Mo.
DelawareNorth Sportservice associates at Hammons Field are planning a trip to an area park to pick up trash. All associates, their families and friends will be invited to take part.
 
Syracuse Hancock International Airport, Syracuse, N.Y.
One person from each department at SyracuseHancockInternationalAirport, including from Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services, the airport’s food service provider, has been selected toclean up outside of the airport on Earth Day. Thegroup will pick up trash and clean the airportgrounds and parking area.