Aramark Celebrates "Kids to Parks Day"

PHILADELPHIA, May 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate the National Park Trust's 4^th Annual Kids to Parks Day, Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) – a $14 billion global provider of award winning services in food, facilities management, and uniforms – will host a free treasure hunt for kids at Mesa Verde National Park on Saturday, May 17, 2014. 

Aramark, a proud national sponsor of Kids to Parks Day and Mesa Verde's park concessionaire, enriches and nourishes the lives of visitors to national and state parks and other leading leisure and cultural attractions across the country with innovative hospitality and interpretive programs. Started in 2011, Kids to Parks Day is a national movement encouraging kids to get out and explore local, state and national parks and public lands to discover science, history and outdoor recreation opportunities.

Children visiting Mesa Verde, on Saturday, May 17, 2014, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., are invited to take part in an outdoor, nature treasure hunt, using clues provided by Aramark. Three containers, each holding a silicone wristband, will temporarily be placed around Far View Lodge near Spruce Tree Terrace. The wristbands will each have one word printed on them; when all three are found, they will make up the complete phrase, 'Kids to Parks'. 

"America's parks provide a perfect opportunity for families to connect with and explore nature and Aramark is committed to finding new, innovative ways to enrich these experiences through meaningful partnerships and fun, educational programs," said Bruce W. Fears, President, Aramark Leisure. "Mesa Verde National Park is an American treasure and Kids to Parks Day is a wonderful way to encourage families to spend a day outdoors at one of the country's largest and most picturesque archaeological preserves."

"I helped launch the Kids to Parks initiative with my colleagues and the National Park Trust to get kids excited about being active and healthy outdoors and to inspire the next generation to become stewards of our nation's special places," U.S. Senator (D-CO) Mark Udall said. "Connecting with the outdoors is an excellent way to promote good physical and mental health and to support rural economies and Main Street businesses. Whether hiking, climbing, rafting or playing capture-the-flag, Kids to Parks Day kicks off a summer of activity that can inspire a lifetime of healthy habits."

"Kids to Parks Day was created to engage kids with our country's diverse parks and public lands," states Grace Lee, executive director of National Park Trust. "Our goal is to get hundreds of thousands of kids and their families outdoors for this national day of play. There are more than 1000 park events taking place across the country on May 17."

The first twenty participants who collect the full set of wristbands will be able to return to the retail store at Mesa Verde's Spruce Tree Terrace to receive a Buddy Bison plush animal, the National Park Trust's pint size mascot. Junior explorers are encouraged to take their Buddy Bison with them when they explore National, state and local parks and share photos from their adventure on Buddy Bison's Facebook page.

Learn more about Aramark's Leisure business at www.aramarkleisure.com.

About Aramark
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) is in the customer service business across food, facilities and uniforms, wherever people work, learn, recover, and play. United by a passion to serve, our more than 270,000 employees deliver experiences that enrich and nourish the lives of millions of people in 22 countries around the world every day. Aramark is recognized among the Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE and the World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. Learn more at www.aramark.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

About National Park Trust
National Park Trust is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to the preservation and protection of our nation's critical parks and public lands and the engagement of our youth – especially those who are underserved – with nature. As people spend more time indoors and as successive generations grow up with less of a connection to nature, NPT wants everyone to have an American park experience. To achieve this, NPT is preserving parks today and creating park stewards for tomorrow. Learn more at www.parktrust.org or connect on Facebook and Twitter.

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Contact:
David Freireich
215-238-4078
[email protected]

Erin Noss
215-409-7403
[email protected]

SOURCE Aramark