Hilton Garden Inn Celebrates National Garden Month

BY GROWING "VEGGIE" GARDENS WITH SCHOOLS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA AND ENJOYING HALTHY RECIPES

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. October 14, 2008

BEVERLY HILLS, CA, April 21, 2006. Thousands of students across the United States, Canada and Mexico are learning how to grow and prepare their own healthy recipes in honor of National Garden Month. Hilton Garden Inn properties across North America are working with the National Gardening Association (NGA) to show children how to prepare delicious tasting and healthy veggie tacos and quesadillas by adding fresh vegetables grown from their own school gardens. The Hilton Garden Inn brand's system-wide "Grow A School Garden" community outreach program is an annual event designed to teach children the importance and benefits of gardening, while also helping them "grow" good eating habits.

"We're thrilled to celebrate National Garden Month and teach students about the importance of eating healthy through gardening," said Mark Nogal, vice president - marketing and sales for Hilton Garden Inn. "Through our national 'Grow A School Garden' program, Hilton Garden Inn is not only giving students an opportunity to learn the principles of gardening, we're also teaching young kids an invaluable lesson about where food comes from and the importance of incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables into their daily diets because we know good eating habits need to start early."

The messages about good nutrition and the importance of adding vegetables to make meals healthier comes at a time when childhood obesity rates are soaring and school-age children face alarming health risks as a result of poor nutrition. In fact, according to the American Obesity Association, approximately one out of every three children ages six to 11 are overweight and slightly more than 15 percent are obese. Overweight children are at greater risk for developing many chronic diseases - such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers - in adulthood.

The "Grow A School Garden" program consists of a special garden education package provided to schools by one of more than 260 local Hilton Garden Inn hotel properties. The package provides classrooms with all the tools necessary to grow and maintain an indoor or outdoor garden. Additionally, hotel volunteers visit classrooms each year to provide the personal teamwork and dedication needed to help the students learn to grow their gardens.

This year's gardening events will begin with special lessons from local chefs about how food is grown, and the difference between healthy and less healthy food choices. Following these student assemblies, the children will be offered the opportunity to participate in various gardening exercises and even have the chance to help the local chefs prepare vegetable-filled lunches featuring veggie tacos and quesadillas.

At the Los Angeles-area event being held at Monte Vista Early Education Center, renowned Los Angeles chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, Food Network's "Too Hot Tamales" and owners of the popular Border Grill and Ciudad restaurants, will deliver the healthy-eating messages to a captive audience of more than 208 students, ages 2 to 6. Charlie Nardozzi, chief horticulturist for the NGA and chief gardening officer consultant for Hilton Garden Inn, who oversees the "Grow A School Garden" program, also will be on hand to garden with students at the Los Angeles-area event. He will help students expand their existing schoolyard garden plots to add ingredients needed to create nutritious veggie tacos and quesadillas, including a variety of vegetable fillings and an array of herbs.

"Through the 'Grow A School Garden' program, we're giving children a chance to spend time outdoors, learn about where food comes from and how to care for the environment while getting physically active," said Charlie Nardozzi. "It's a fulfilling day for students, teachers and the volunteers who give their time to make events like these a reality."

About the "Grow A School Garden" Program

The "Grow A School Garden" program is a community outreach initiative designed by Hilton Garden Inn and the NGA to teach students the many facets of gardening and the importance of the global environment. Through the program, local Hilton Garden Inn hotels across the country donate garden education packages that include all the tools necessary to grow and maintain an indoor or outdoor garden. Hilton Garden Inn employees also offer personal teamwork and dedication needed to help grow the garden.