Source: Starwood
Source: Starwood

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. today kicks-off the company's sixth annualRoad to Awarenessbike ride challengeincluding CEO, Frits van Paasschen, joining for the second year in a row, and 23 other Starwood executives and associates from across the globe. The cyclists begin their journey in Munich at the Sheraton Munich Arabellapark Hotel where they will embark on a three-day journey through the mountains of Austria in the Tyrol and Salzburg counties. They will cycle more than 400 kilometres and ascend six climbs before they finish the ride at the Sheraton Fuschlsee-Salzburg Hotel Jagdhof. The bike ride is part of the annual associate fundraising campaignRoad to Awarenesswhich launched in 2008 and since then has raised over US$2.5 million for UNICEF education projects through local fundraising initiatives across its 250 hotels in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

"At Starwood, we believe that every child has the right to go to school and we are convinced that education is the door that opens opportunities to become fully independent members of society," says Michael Wale, President of Starwood Hotels & Resorts for Europe, Africa & Middle East. "I am incredibly proud of the amazing efforts of our 46,000 hotel associates in the region and brave cyclists who enthusiastically engage in raising funds as part of their ongoing commitment to doing the right thing."

The Starwood cycling team followed a training regimen developed by Sheraton Fitness partner, Mark Verstegen, founder of Athlete's Performance and Core Performance, a world-renowned leader in professional athletic training, nutrition and physical therapy, whose methodology drives the Sheraton® Fitness by Core Performance™ offering available at Sheraton hotels globally. This is the second year Verstegen has trained the Starwood team for the rigorous bike ride by developing a weekly training schedule including effective fuelling strategies, active recovery techniques, and efficient and effective targeted training plans.

"We are proud that Sheraton, our largest brand globally, is supporting the Starwood cycling team as they prepared for this challenge to raise money for a good cause," adds Michael Wale.

Road to Awareness
to Support UNICEF's Education Projects in Nigeria and Cameroon

This year'sRoad to Awarenesscampaign aims to raise US$500,000 for UNICEF education projects in Nigeria and Cameroon, giving thousands of children from some of the poorest communities the opportunity to go to school and to get a better start in life. Amongst these communities are disadvantaged children from the nomadic population of Nigeria with a literacy rate as low as 0.02%, and the indigenous Baka population of Cameroon, where only about 20% of the children are currently enrolled in schools. With the funds raised, Starwood and UNICEF aim to support 20 schools in Nigeria, directly benefitting an estimated 3,000 nomadic children, and 15 schools in Cameroon where more than 5,000 children will have access to literacy and numeracy training. The funds will also be used to organise awareness-raising campaigns about the importance of going to school, and to train 150 teachers.

Last year, Starwood raised US$750,000 through the company's'Road to Awareness'campaign, helping to provide more than 50,000 children in Ethiopia with access to pre-primary education.

To learn more about the Road to Awareness and make a donation please visit www.roadtoawareness.com

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels &

Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 1,300 properties in some 100 countries and approximately 188,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences under the renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®,Tribute Portfolio™, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, and Element®, along with an expanded partnership withDesign Hotels™. The company also boasts one of the industry’s leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG®). Visit www.starwoodhotels.com for more information and stay connected @starwoodbuzz on Twitterand Instagram and facebook.com/Starwood.