Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn Provides $10k Grant to Sonoma Valley High School's Agricultural Departme

SONOMA, CA, November, 2011 –The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Engagement program will provide a $10,000 grant to Sonoma Valley High School's (SVHS) Agricultural Department. The Fairmont Community Assistance and Responsibility to the Environment (CAREs) is a corporate grant program that focuses on the environmental, social, and community well being of the communities where Fairmont does business.

The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn will further support the High School's "Ag" Department initiatives and programming by hosting a series of fundraising events including a signature Winemaker Dinner scheduled with like community- minded Bruce Cohn of BR Cohn Winery on January 26, 2012 at the Inn's Michelin starred Santé dining room. Locals and guests alike can also support the SVHS by dining at the iconic Big 3. 10% of the total check will support fund-raising goals every Monday evening during the months of February and March 2012. For more information on the Jan 26, 2012 Winemaker Dinner or Big 3 promotional nights please phone the Inn at 707 938 9000.

Kelley Cosgrove, General Manager of the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn shares, "The hallmark of this partnership will be student involvement and collaborative community planning.  Our goal is to provide financial support for infrastructure improvements followed by a collaborative business agreement in which the High School Farm will become a source of locally grown plant and animal products for both The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and The Fairmont San Francisco. By supporting Sonoma Valley High School and the area's primary business (agriculture/wine grape growers) we hope to truly elevate the importance of buying local and supporting the community."

The Sonoma Valley High School Agriculture Program serves 400 students and is an increasing popular career technical education pathway for students who are seeking to graduate well prepared for college and career. 

Laura Zimmerman, Executive Director of the Sonoma Valley Educational Foundation shares "The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn is truly a legacy organization and partner for the community. This grant will expose our students to the intersection of what they are learning in class and the demands of the business world in real time. This is what investing in youth is all about."

The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn has supported Sonoma Valley Schools via numerous fund- raising initiatives and sponsorships including a long and successful partnership with Adopted School, El Verano Elementary and their annual Faces of Change Golf Tournament.   The resort's culinary department participates in and leads tutorials on (the high school) campus, and for the past several years the resort has hosted and led student groups in the Wine Country Chefs of Tomorrow Program. The Inn's "Green Team" works closely with the High School "Enviro" Club on activities including California Coastal Clean-Up and Community Recycling Events.  A number of employees at the resort also serve as mentors (via community based Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance) to local High School students. 

Renowned for natural mineral waters, unparalleled service and gracious accommodations, the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, is located 40 miles north of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge in the heart of the Sonoma Valley.  Home to the Michelin rated Santé dining room and a 40,000 square foot spa acclaimed by Travel +Leisure magazine as one of the Top 25 facilities in North America. The resort is a recipient of both the AAA-Four Diamond and Mobil-Four Star Award, consistently providing the country's finest European destination spa experience.  For reservations please call 1-800-441-1414 or (707) 938-9000, or visit the Inn's website at www.fairmont.com/sonoma.

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