Hotel Presidente Donates Medical Equipment to Costa Rica National Children's Hospital

Donation is Part of Hotel's Corporate Social Responsibility Program

San Jose, Costa Rica (April 1, 2008) - Thousands of Costa Rica's children will benefit from Hotel Presidente's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) donation to the National Children's Hospital.Hotel Presidente donated the equipment, worth 15.5 million colones, to ensure that each child treated at Children's Hospital receives the highest quality medical attention. This year, the hotel's CSR program is focusing on children and on ensuring their wellbeing.The equipment that is being donated includes a pediatric intubation fibro-scope, an electronic 90-degree multi-phase trans-esophagus trans-ductor, a Stryker cast cutter and a vacuum system."The pediatric intubation fibro-scope is used prior to operating on a child to check from the nasal passage down to the trachea. It is also used to locate any adenoids or tumors within the respiratory passages," said Max Barrantes, pediatric doctor at the National Children's Hospital.According to Dr. Barrantes, the electronic 90-degree multi-phase trans-esophagus trans-ductor is useful to cardiologists, as it is used in ultrasounds of the heart.The Stryker cast cutter is used to remove children's casts. The portable vacuum system is used to remove secretions. Dr. Barrantes added:  "Many children suffer from severe secretions and this vacuum is used to remove phlegm from the nose and throat, especially in children with brain paralysis."We know that we cannot eliminate sick children's pain or their parent's worry but we can guarantee quality care through specialized equipment," said Katherine Carter, operations manager at Hotel Presidente. Hotel Presidente implemented its Corporate Social Responsibility program two years ago. In fact, this is not the first time it has donated medical equipment. "We usually work with the Red Cross, but this year our CSR program is focused on children so we contacted the National Children's Hospital," added Carter.

Hotel Presidente CowParade Sponsor - April, 2008

CowParade is the major public art event, this year to take place in and be organized by the city of San José and sponsored by private enterprises, whereby artwork is auctioned and proceeds benefit non-profit foundations.

It begins in Zurich 1998, where the dream of developing local artists is fulfilled by offering them a venue for their artistic expression and a life-sized fiberglass cow as a canvas.

As such, Costa Rica is the first Central American country to witness this parade that has brought life to urban centers as diverse as Zurich, Chicago, New York, Sidney, Houston and London. These works of art become a magnificent spectacle where the public immediately identifies with the cows, upon perceiving elements and symbols rooted in local art, culture and customs.

The exhibit began on March 27th and ends August 1st of 2008. The artwork is placed along the Central Avenue Boulevard, the Culture Plaza (Plaza de la Cultura), the 4th Avenue boulevard, Morazán Park, and the Ricardo Jiménez Boulevard.

Assistance for the 2008 School Year - Feb 2nd,2008

Through its Corporate Social Responsibility program, wich supports education, Hotel Presidente donated school supplies to the Madre de Dios shelter of the Association for Children's Smiles (ASONI) of Cristo Rey, prior to the stast of the school year. This valuable gift will benefit 315 young people from two of ASONI's shelters, one located in Cristo Rey and the other in Sagrada Familia. Vicente Caudeli Sanz is the priest in charge of this project.

"We firmly believe that the best way to guarantee a healthy and successful future for children is through education. Education is the best way to keep youngsters off the street and safe from its dangers", said Hotel Presidente's Operations Manager Katherine Carter. She added: "Hotel Presidente has always provided support to children and youth at risk in San José, since they represent the future of our city" Children in pre-school through sixth grade and teens in the seventh, eighth and ninth grades will receive a complete package of shool supplies, corresponding to the appropriate grade. The package include items such as modeling clay, paper ( bond, construction and newsprint), color pencils, tempera paints, scissors, notebooks, erasers, rules, glue, and lined paper. These school supply packages will be completed with a carryall bag, also donated by the Hotel Presidente. The donation of school supplies, worth 3 million colones, will help diminish school absenteeism in high risk areas in San José, helping those families who need it the most.

Dollar for dollar for the Children - June, 2007...

One dollar is added daily to our guests' accounts to help the "Protecting Children from Commercial Sexual Exploitation" program.

The Conduct Code for the protection of children and adolescents against commercial sexual exploitation during travel and tourism was developed in 2003 as part of the tourism business sector's effort to contribute to improving the population's quality of life in general, and protecting fundamental rights of children and adolescents in particular. The project was coordinated by the Paniamor Foundation. As part of its social responsibility activities, Hotel Presidente participated in this effort from its inception. Funds collected during this campaign will be used in the prevention of the commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents in the country's most vulnerable areas. If you require more information, please visit www. protegiendoles.org, or call the Paniamor Foundation at (506) 234-2993 or email promocion@paniamor.or.cr

Supporting our Olympic Athletes - July, 2007

Hotel Presidente is the proud sponsor of two athletes for the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games.

The Games will be held in Shanghai, China, October 2-11, 2007.

Olympians Starling Álvarez (15) from Cartago and María Guadalupe Zúñiga (10) from San Ramón will represent Costa Rica on the track.

The sponsorship includes airfare, lodging and meals in Italy on their way to China, equipment and uniforms.

Hotel Presidente Helping to Forge the Children's Future Program - 2006, 2007... 

Last year, Hotel Presidente initiated a campaign to aid children, named "Hotel Presidente Helping to Forge the Children's Future." The program, presented entirely on hotel property, consisted of inviting children from institutions such as the San Jose Orphanage and the homes of the National Foundation for Childhood (PANI) to visit the Hotel, and providing them with breakfast and lunch, while they enjoyed an educational presentation, for example regarding energy conservation, presented by the National Power and Light Company (CNFL).

This activity takes place on Thursday of every week. As of end of May of this year, we have received 71 children. We receive groups of no more than 10 children, ranging in age from two to 17 years.

The objective of this project is to give these children an opportunity to learn, be entertained and to provide them with adequate meals, while raising awareness amongst hotel supporters about the responsibilities we all have for children at risk. We achieve this by inviting our supporters to participate actively in the event and continually providing information about our activities.

Due to the project's success in its first phase, and the recognition it has engendered among private entities who value the Hotel Presidente's seriousness and commitment to social responsibility, non-governmental organizations that have been asked to give the children other educational alternatives have not hesitated to help. These institutions include the Children's Museum, Gold Museum, Form and Sound Museum, and again, the CNFL. An agreement has been reached for these organizations to grant the children access to their buildings free of charge.

In its second phase, the activity consists in providing breakfast at the hotel, and then taking them to visit one of the above mentioned organizations, and returning to the hotel for lunch.

In order for the children who visit the hotel to have a souvenir of the day, we have created small cardboard boxes, where we provide their lunch. The box also contains games, a coloring area, the Hotel's name and the campaign's logo.

On February 2^nd, Children and representatives from the Child Welfare Office (Patronato Nacional de la Infancia PANI), Aldeas S.O.S Orphanage, and the San José Orphans Hospice visited the Hotel where they were presented with supplies for 203 children, and shared breakfast with members of the Hotel Staff.

Music on the Street - Dec 21^st, 2006

As a Christmas present to our beloved City, Hotel Presidente and News Café organized a life concert on Central Avenue Blvd featuring the popular local band Grupo Jácamo y Puntos Suspensivos.

Celebration of "Día del Niño" - September 23^rd, 2006

This event was part of an ongoing program created within the Hotel's organization, with the objective of reaching out to children in social risk.

Every week of the year, a group of children is invited to the Hotel, where they share with members of the staff a hearty breakfast, along with games, and educational activities.  

By working together with institutions and shelters that assist and accommodate these minors like PANI (Child Welfare Office), Aldeas S.O.S, and San José's Orphans Hospice, the program has become a complete success.

Every year on September 9^th, Costa Ricans celebrate "El Día del Niño" (Costa Rican Children's Day). This year, the Hotel gathered 120 children that visited the Hotel during the year in Costa Rica's National Amusement Park to celebrate it.

Members of the Hotel Staff shared an outing with the children, visiting the rides, games and playing with the Park's characters. They all enjoyed a hamburger lunch, and, after ice cream and cake, goodies and presents were exchanged.

Supporting the Arts (Theater) - Oct, 2006

During the months of October and November, 2006, the National Theater and the Costa Rican Ministry of Culture, Youth and Spots (Ministerio de Cultura Juventud y Deportes) presented Maria Silva's Award Winning Play "Soledad, ¿Quién te Acompaña?" in the Vargas Calvo Theater.  Hotel Presidente was the sole sponsor of the presentation of this production.