DOZENS of employees at the luxurious Rosewood Corniche hotel joined forces last week to overhaul a section of the Jeddah Autism Centre, as part of their efforts and commitment to support the non-profit organization which cares for children and families affected by autism. A group of 87 volunteers, including 10 female staff members, the hotel's managing director along with senior managers and staff from the kitchen, F&B, housekeeping, engineering, finance, security, human resources and reservations departments participated in the “Lets paint a smile on children's faces” initiative. The task at hand was to give an entire floor of the Jeddah Autism Centre a complete makeover and freshen up the walls to make it a more vibrant space for the children who are cared for. Working with partners Jotun Paints, which supplied the materials, the team from Rosewood Corniche included a wide variety of cultures and nationalities, and saw patience and teamwork put to the test as they worked together to paint the space during the recent school spring break. “I was overwhelmed by the response we had from our team,” said Hans-Peter Leitzke, Managing Director of Rosewood Corniche. “This time of year, when the schools are on spring break, is one of our busiest times and this year we saw a 99 percent occupancy rate at the hotel. “Despite everyone working long hours, we had a great number of staff who dedicated their personal time to make this great difference to the Jeddah Autism Centre and the children they look after.” Nazeha Othman, Deputy General Manager for development and follow up at Jeddah Autism Centre, said: “Rosewood Corniche has played an instrumental role in supporting our center and it has always been a pleasure working with them. It was wonderful to see their staff members come together. They have done a great job and we would like to thank each person for their hard work and contribution.” “But it wasn't all hard work. The team had a lot of fun taking part and the children were delighted with the outcome which was more than enough of a reward. It is important to us all that Rosewood Corniche plays its role in the local community. The work that Jeddah Autism Centre does is second to none, creating a positive impact on the welfare of children with autism and their families,” Leitzke added. As part of the hotel's continued plan to support children with autism, the 2013 Rosewood Corniche Vertical Marathon will be open to the children and families from the Jeddah Autism Centre. The unique challenge, which was launched last year, sees participants running in a relay formation up the 17 floors of the hotel and back down again to the finish line outside the hotel lobby. Proceeds from the Marathon will also be donated to the Jeddah Autism Centre. — SG
