Rolling Out Red Carpet for Inspiring Young Champions, Sheraton Springfield Teams with ?Kids of Courage? to Host Extraordinary Ski-Trip Weekend

January 07, 2011 at 11:40 pm IST

MarketScreener.com By

A group of inspiring young champions will make the Sheraton Springfield (MA) their home for an extraordinary ski event this weekend.

They're all fighting for their lives against serious medical diagnoses – and they'll all savor the thrill of conquering the slopes with help from the New York-based organization Kids of Courage, which will host its second annual Ski Weekend January 6th-9th. With the Sheraton Springfield as the group's home base, the ski action will take place at the world-famous Mount Snow Resort in West Dover, Vermont.

Partnering with specially trained volunteers from Ability Plus Adaptive Sports & Recreations (www.abilityplus.org), the state's only year-round disabled sports program, Kids of Courage will help the kids forget the tubes, pumps and needles that go along with their personal daily challenges ? and teach them to ski. A team of more than 130 volunteer physicians, paramedics, nurses, physical therapists, and specially trained lay staff will help make the day fun and safe.

Kids of Courage has designated Sheraton Springfield the official hotel of the Ski Weekend; the property will contribute significant staffing resources for the weekend, along with meeting space and kitchen facilities.

?It takes a lot of time and effort to make sure rooms are accessible, to prepare public areas, and to customize rooms for each medical setup, so the Sheraton Springfield's generosity means a lot to us and the kids,? said Ari Dobkin, the director of programming for Kids of Courage. ?The ski trip is an especially important event for us because it gives the kids a chance to do things they always hear peers talk about, which is tremendously empowering.?

Kids of Courage works with Ability Plus Adaptive Sports & Recreations to evaluate each child's needs and match kids with appropriate equipment for their ski experience, Dobkin said. Equipment may include ventilators, oxygen, feeding pumps, and IV's. Over forty-five children will participate in the program this year, the second time Kids of Courage has coordinated the event. This year's skiers include 24-year-old Itzy Kagan, one of the longest surviving quadriplegic on a ventilator in the world. ?The ski experience is incredibly liberating for someone who is trapped in his own body,? Dobkin said.

The hotel jumped at the chance to help, said Dan Walsh, general manager of Sheraton Springfield. ?When we heard about the opportunity to make this weekend possible for these kids, our entire staff banded together to do whatever it takes,? he said. ?It's a privilege for us to team with Kids of Courage and help give these amazing kids a weekend of fun and encouragement.?

Sandy Swider, vice president for Global Citizenship at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT), Sheraton's parent, agreed. ?Starwood has always encouraged volunteer opportunities for our associates around the world, and the Kids of Courage ski weekend is especially meaningful,? she said. ?One of our core values has always been enriching the lives of the communities we serve, and our associates get as much enrichment in return from experiences like this.?

Ski Weekend 2011 marks the third time Starwood has teamed with Kids of Courage to provide an extraordinary experience to the children it serves. In 2010 they hosted the first Ski Madness Weekend at the Sheraton in Burlington, Vermont, and in the summer of 2010, the Westin LAX in Los Angeles rolled out the red carpet for Kids of Courage for a nine day dream trip for children suffering from serious medical illnesses.

About Kids of Courage

Kids of Courage is a volunteer-based non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and young adults with serious medical diagnoses. All services provided are free to the children and their families. Staff is all-volunteer; there are no salaries or financial compensation to any members of the team. This differentiates Kids of Courage from most other organizations anywhere in the world. Kids of Courage relies wholly on the charitable donations from generous donors. For more information or to make a donation, visit www.kidsoc.org.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1025 properties in 100 countries and territories with 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft®, and Element^SM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.