Doubletree Hotels has announced the early completion of its “Pledge to Plant Challenge” following an overwhelming public response. The proposed month-long campaign with The National Arbor Day Foundation aimed at raising awareness about the importance of trees, struck an environmental chord with America as Doubletree was forced to close the website to further entries after receiving 35,000 entries and nearly 100,000 website hits in less than two weeks.

As a result of the outpouring of support for both the campaign and the environment, Doubletree will honor additional pledges by tripling its original tree planting contribution to nearly 150,000 trees. Along with the 60,000 trees planted by grade school students in 140 cities with Doubletree volunteers during the past four years as part of the hotelier’s award-winning Teaching Kids to CARE(R) program, this donation leads to an amazing 200,000 tree planting milestone between Doubletree and The National Arbor Day Foundation.

“All of us at Doubletree were amazed with the incredible response we received from this program. After all, the sole purpose of the Pledge to Plant Promise and our Teaching Kids to CARE tree initiatives are to empower people young and old in understanding the importance of re-greening America through the simple act of planting trees,” explained Dave Horton, senior vice president, brand management for Doubletree Hotels. “Our heartfelt thanks go to America for embracing our cause. We look forward to working with our great friends at The National Arbor Day Foundation on an array of ‘tree-rific’ initiatives in the months and years to come.”

Launched in late April as an extension of the longstanding Teaching Kids to CARE(R) environmental education initiative between the two prominent “tree organizations” each spring, the Doubletree “Pledge to Plant Challenge” encouraged individuals to “think trees” in an active effort to re-green America and reinforce the importance of trees in our everyday lives. Doubletree initiatives with The National Arbor Day Foundation bring to life the Hilton Family of Hotels’ mission of filling the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.

By visiting a specially designated website, eco-friendly people who made a personal pledge to plant will receive two of their very own seedling trees, compliments of Doubletree and The National Arbor Day Foundation which they can plant and raise. Doubletree will match every eligible Pledge to Plant Promise by donating an additional two live seedling trees to plant in a regional or national forest in need, through reforestation projects currently underway by The National Arbor Day Foundation.

“This just reaffirms the growing demand for more environmentally-focused initiatives,” said Kevin Sander, corporate marketing director for The National Arbor Day Foundation. “Doubletree continues to elevate their commitment to the environment by empowering and engaging America in the fight to preserve our natural resources.”

To find out more about environmental awareness and community outreach initiatives at Doubletree Hotels, visit www.doubletree.com/thinktrees .
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