Dixon Holiday Luncheon

On Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016, Innisfree Hotels treated scholars and staff of Dixon School of the Arts to a holiday luncheon at the company’s Hilton hotel on Pensacola Beach.

Watch a video of the event here.

The arts-based school located in West Pensacola has long been a project of significance to Innisfree Hotels – even before the company formally established a corporate social responsibility program called The Hive in 2015.

During the festive luncheon, children from Kindergarten through middle school performed a medley of holiday songs for the packed ballroom, before enjoying a gourmet lunch and a visit from Santa. The scholars were each presented with a wrapped toy – in addition to another very special gift, made possible by countless community donors.

This winter, Innisfree Hotels initiated a Winter Coat Drive for Dixon.

Through a series of community events and fundraisers that included partnerships with Pensacola’s Kil’n Time pottery studio, The Wine Bar on Palafox and Newk’s Eatery, the company raised more than $7,300 – enabling them to present toys and warm coats emblazoned with the Dixon logo to all 131 scholars, who otherwise may not have had the proper outerwear to get through the winter.

In addition to the toys and coats, Innisfree was able to purchase every item on the school’s Amazon Wish List, like supplies necessary to help the children succeed. Dixon teachers were presented with gift certificates from Innisfree’s Fusion Spa Salon on Pensacola Beach.

“It means so much to everyone at Innisfree to be able to make this kind of impact on these young scholars, throughout the school year but especially at Christmas,” says Innisfree founder and CEO Julian MacQueen, who was in attendance, along with his wife Kim, a founding member of the Dixon Board. “Watching their faces light up reminds us all of the magic and wonder of childhood – and the privilege of letting children be children as long as they can.”

For more on Innisfree’s involvement with Dixon, please visit The Hive.