Studying the Postgraduate Diploma in International Hotel Management entails an intensive curriculum that includes a fundraising group project as part of the course in Event Management. This semester, the October Postgraduate class (PGO1) took on the challenge to set a school record for raising money for charity through their efforts to help children with Epidermolysis Bullosa, also known as Butterfly Skin. Through a series of raffle sales (see below) and entrance tickets to the charity dinner held in Olivo Restaurant on February 24th, PGO1 raised a total of 2.320,00 Euros for the DEBRA Foundation.
During the weeks leading up to the charity dinner for students and staff of Les Roches Marbella, PGO held weekly raffle sales during their coffee and lunch breaks to raise funds. However, before ever getting to the stage of actually selling the tickets they first had to negotiate with sponsors in order to ensure that the prizes would be both exciting and interesting to students. A committee was organized and the group began contacting local hotels to enlist their collaboration. The end result was a fine selection of luxury hotel stays donated by Hotel Club Maritimo Soto Grande, Melia Banus, and Puente Romano Beach Resort & Spa. For the dinner event they brought on the assistance of the Malaga-based San Miguel brewery, and Freixenet sparkling wines who donated beverages.
While the fundraising efforts were underway, another group was charged with organizing the gala dinner. These students took on the roles of event managers, menu planners, service managers, decorators, and chefs. Their hard work was assisted by first-year BBA students who were scheduled to work the event as part of their own study program. Their inspiring teamwork made the dinner an amazing all-around success. From the moment you walked through the door, professionalism and a sense of genuine hospitality was on display by everybody from the greeters and service staff to the chefs and stewards. The Les Roches Marbella Band brought live entertainment while students and staff enjoyed an evening of solidarity for the important cause of supporting DEBRA’s efforts to help children with Butterfly Skin.
Les Roches Marbella is committed to instilling social sensitivity as part of emotional the development of students on their way to becoming successful professionals in the hospitality industry. Social sensitivity and responsibility towards the environment, we feel, are fundamental components espoused by future international hospitality leaders. To see events, like the Debra fundraiser carried out by this year’s Postgraduate October students, have such a resounding effect on raising awareness and cultivating a sense of social responsibility, we are assured that hospitality is headed in the right direction.
Congratulations to all those who made this event such a success.