Delaware North last week made donations to two organizations benefitting children, both in conjunction with the annual GuestPath® Conference.
The 2015 GuestPath Conference (Nov. 8-10) at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center drew nearly 150 
managers and trainers of GuestPath — Delaware North's customer-service platform — to Buffalo from company locations in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.
Benefitting from the conference activities were the Boys and Girls Clubs of Buffalo and Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer.
“At Delaware North, we are always looking for ways to have a positive impact on the communities where we operate, especially children,” said Rick Abramson, executive vice president and chief operating officer. “I’m proud that our GuestPath team that gathered here in Buffalo this week has made giving something back a significant part of their conference.”
Attendees participated in a team-building exercise in which they built 100 backpacks for children who attend the Boys and Girls Clubs of Buffalo – a nod to Delaware North’s 100th anniversary this year – each filled with various school supplies, a toiletry kit, a restaurant gift card, a water bottle and National Geographic children’s readers. A majority of the supplies were provided by conference sponsors: American Hotel Register Company, KB Graphics, Office Max/Office Depot and Polar Graphics.
“GuestPath is all about taking care of our customers and about taking care of our community and taking care of our clients,” Delaware North GuestPath Director Bradly Sax said in presenting the backpacks at the conference.
Delaware North has been a supporter of the local clubs for 15 years, assisting with many similar initiatives.
“We’re extremely grateful to Delaware North for your longstanding, generous and thoughtful support,” said Timothy Brennan, chief development officer of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Buffalo, who accepted the backpacks with other club officials and children on hand at the convention center.
Also during the conference, GuestPath master trainers participated in a challenge to raise money for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer. Three teams of trainers created lemonade stands that served refreshments and accepted donations during conference breaks. In all, the effort raised $2,000.
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope.
PHOTO CAPTION: GuestPath Director Bradly Sax welcomes children from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Buffalo.