Clean the World proudly celebrates Women’s Month.

Joan Toth
by Pam Rosenburg

A woman that influenced my life and made me learn what hard work was is Joan Toth. She was an Associate Publisher of Convenience Store News in 1992 when I met her. I was her Assistant in NYC. She expected nothing less than the best from me. She terrified me at the beginning because she was so demanding. She was a woman who knew what she wanted. And what she wanted was to run that company one day and she worked her butt off. There was no doubt that would happen. She deserved it and more. She worked endless hours, traveled to so many trade shows and conferences and client meetings. She trained her employees to be the best. I got the chance of a lifetime when a co-worker could not travel due to pregnancy and I had to fill in and fly to New Orleans to a huge convention. Of course, there was a huge problem prior to the show. Joan was not there yet but I was and I had to fix it. It was not easy but I did it. Not only did I fix the problem but I truly impressed Joan and I got a huge promotion and everything that she taught me to come out at that show. She knew she could throw anything at me from that point forward. We worked together there for 7 years. (FYI – she did end up running that company.)

When she left the publishing world she started a company called the Network of Executive Women, a 501 (c)3 educational organization with over 10,000 members representing 750 companies in the retail and consumer goods and services industry, including grocery, chain drug, mass retail, convenience store/petroleum, club, wholesalers, manufacturers, service providers associations and trade media. The mission of the organization was to advance women, grow business and transform the industry’s workplace through the power of the community. I saw the organization go from an idea to the 10,000+ members. By the way, her company was doing so well and they were so busy and needed extra help and she reached out to me to come and work for her again which I happily did for another few years.

After 15 years she chose to move on and she just started working for a company called Simpactful as a Senior Consultant. Simpactful is a CPG/Retail Consulting Firm made up of industry experts from top corporations. They specialize in areas of Diversity and Inclusion, Commercial Strategy, Revenue Management, Organizational Development. I am sure she will work her magic here as well.

We still remain in contact after all of these years. Without her, I am not sure where I would be in the workplace. She definitely helped shape me to be the woman I am in the workplace. She may have worked me hard but she was also the most caring person in the world to Eric and I. I am so grateful to have been put in her path in this life.

Jane Goodall
by Steffani Fields

My female role model is the British primatologist and anthropologist, Jane Goodall. As an animal-lover and a student of anthropology, I have always been interested in the relationship between apes and humans and often curious as to how we became so different over time. After studying and working with apes during college, I had the opportunity to work with Ms. Goodall as a researcher with the Jane Goodall Institute. I admire her for so many reasons, but mostly for her ability to live and study independently in Tanzania for over 30 years, proving to the world not only how intelligent and sensitive chimpanzees are, but mostly how closely related we are to them as humans. I also especially admire her for standing up for the rights and improving the lives of creatures who can’t necessarily do so for themselves. Although we work with humans at CTWF, I feel we have a similar mission in our efforts to improve the lives of children and families without access to the basic human rights of hygiene education and proper sanitation facilities. Below are a few very meaningful quotes from Jane Goodall:

Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.

The greatest danger to our future is apathy.

Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help shall all be saved.

Laura Schwartz on stage in Las Vegas with Clean the World founder Shawn Seipler.

When we unveiled new soap recycling equipment last week at our Las Vegas operations center, Clean the World board member Laura Schwartz lit up the room with the passion she brought to her role as emcee. Laura’s enthusiasm, charisma and million-dollar smile set the tone for an incredible day.

At live events and during her many TV appearances promoting Clean the World, Laura continually evangelizes the Global Hygiene Revolution. She is a master at what she does, and we are grateful to have her on our team.

The Association of College Unions International (ACUI) recently held its annual conference at the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes resort.

In celebration of the ACUI 100th Anniversary Service Pledge, the 2014 conference provided both on-site and off-site volunteer opportunities for conference attendees. One of those activities was an on-site event at which volunteers assembled 13,000 ONE Project hygiene kits for homeless relief organizations in Central Florida.

What are you planning to serve at your Super Bowl party?

Appetizers

Buffet

People in the Orlando area can help victims of Superstorm Sandy while enjoying a night on the town tomorrow night, Thursday, Nov. 15.

The Lounge is coming to International Plaza on Lake Eola in downtown Orlando Thursday night, and transforming the area around the lake into a cosmopolitan nightclub. Event producer Paul Lovett promises an unforgettable night of live music, upscale fashion and cocktails. For every ticket sold, 10 Clean the World Hygiene Kits will be sent to storm-ravaged residents in the Northeast.

The Lounge plans to bring an alternative to the normal night out where attendees will enjoy the comfort of chic furniture placed around the plaza, groove on music from DJ BMF & The Phat and Jazzy Players, and take in a 007 themed fashion show presented by Fused Fashion. The Lounge offers an assortment of cocktails and fresh hors d’oeuvres for guests.

This is a fantastic way to support a great cause and have a great evening of fun and entertainment at the same time. Visit The Lounge website for more information.

In case you missed it — and we’re not sure how you would — Clean the World formally opened its Las Vegas Recycling Operations Center on Feb. 29 in the presence of many valuable partners and supporters.

Here are the photos from that fun and successful event. We’re expecting big things from our Las Vegas operations, which receives soaps and bottled amenities from all participating properties in the Western and Pacific regions of the United States.

If the grand opening event was any indication, we’re off to a flying start! Thanks, again, to Caesars Foundation and all of our valuable Las Vegas hospitality partners for making this event possible.

Enjoy the photos by photographer Tonya Harvey, and thanks for helping Clean the World.

[Editor’s Note: Check out Kat’s video of this “Super Soap” adventure in Honduras. Fun stuff!]

The journey to Honduras began with a lot of soap and ended with a soap superhero and a lot of smiles.

Clean the World hosted a soap distribution trip to Honduras in late February that included the talents and passion of two hotel partners — Kat “Super Soap” Coiner of Aloft Charlotte Uptown at the Epicentre (N.C.), and Deb Martin of Four Seasons Scottsdale at Troon Point (Ariz.) — and a college student, Anna Menis of University of Central Florida.

Together with Clean the World’s Rosanna Kingston the women brought joy and thousands of bars of recycled soap to children at schools, children’s homes and orphanages throughout Honduras.

They were helped in this endeavor by the gracious hosts at Soto Cano Air Base just south of Comayagua. U.S. military troops now use the air base as a strategic command in the ongoing war on drugs and for humanitarian aid missions throughout Central America.

But this was not a military effort. It was a soap-centered mission to advance Clean the World’s global hygiene revolution.

“We wanted our hotel partners to experience first hand the joy of giving soap to children,” Kingston says. “By participating in this soap distribution trip, our partners were able to connect the dots on the lifesaving journey each bar of soap takes from hotel room to Clean the World and toward a healthier, cleaner life.”

– CASAYUDA School and Orphanage, which serves 84 children with special needs (blind, deaf, Down syndrome), received 840 bars of soap and hygiene supplies along with an entertaining exercise about proper handwashing

Though the activity level has been high for quite some time there, the “official” opening of the Las Vegas Recycling Operations Center (ROC) is still a few weeks away. And it should be a very big deal.

Hospitality partners, local business leaders and dignitaries are expected to attend the dramatic ribbon-cutting event Feb. 29 from 10 a.m.-Noon at the Las Vegas ROC. As the name implies, the facility serves as the recycling operations center for soaps and bottled amenities collected by Clean the World partners in the Western region of the United States, under the direction of Debi Kinney.

Clean the World sponsors the grand opening event in partnership with Caesars Foundation, which has provided $250,000 worth of grants to the facility. The grants emphasize the commitment of its Las Vegas founding partners, the Caesars Foundation and Caesars Entertainment, to advance Clean the World’s global hygiene revolution and save lives with soap. Caesars’ properties have already donated more than 40 tons of soap and bottled amenities to the cause.

Other Clean the World hospitality partners expected to attend the Las Vegas ribbon-cutting event include: Wynn/Encore, The Palazzo, The Venetian, Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas, Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas, Disneyland Resorts and Marriott’s Grand Chateau. Regional recipients of Clean the World’s recycled products include The Las Vegas Rescue Mission, Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child and The Salvation Army.

There is excitement building for the Feb. 29 event and a genuine feeling that we are getting closer to accomplishing our mission of recycling soap to save lives in Las Vegas and around the world,” Kinney says. “Our hospitality partners in Las Vegas are among the top providers of soaps and bottled amenities to Clean the World, and this facility is a place they’ll be able to point to with pride for promoting sustainability and socially responsibility.”

It is hoped the event will attract media coverage to draw attention to the hygiene needs of children and families in local Las Vegas communities and the world beyond its borders.

If you’d like to attend the event, please RSVP to Debi Kinney at dkinney@ctw2.wpstagecoach.com by Feb. 22.

Clean the World is opening its Las Vegas Recycling Operations Center (ROC) in style, and you are invited.

Hotel partners in the Western region are encouraged to join us  on “leap day” — Feb. 29, 2012 in Las Vegas for a ribbon-cutting event to “officially” open Clean the World’s Las Vegas ROC.

The ROC has been a work in progress since 2010 when Caesars Foundation (then, Harrah’s Foundation) awarded a $100,000 grant to Clean the World. Caesars followed up with a $150,000 donation in 2011 to help prepare the facility for soap recycling operations, which it is now doing for Las Vegas Strip hotel properties and numerous other properties in the Western region of North America.

The event will feature local Las Vegas dignitaries, including hospitality industry executives from Caesars Entertainment, Wynn/Encore, The Venetian, The Palazzo, Mandarin Oriental, and other Clean the World partners. City and state politicians, local business people and educators are also expected to attend the ribbon-cutting, which includes a tour of the facility and a donation of soaps to Las Vegas area schools.

“This has been a long time coming for Clean the World, and we couldn’t be more excited to open our doors and show what we can do in this community,” says Debi Kinney, Clean the World’s Western Regional Director. “We have tremendous partners already contributing to our mission and this event is a ‘thank you’ to them for their continued support.”

Here are the details for the Clean the World Las Vegas ROC Ribbon Cutting event:

When: Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012 — 10 a.m. – Noon (Pacific)

Where: 3111 S. Valley View Blvd., Suite L-115, Las Vegas, Nev.

Why: Because soap saves lives

RSVP: Debi Kinney (dkinney@ctw2.wpstagecoach.com) or call 702-875-2272 by Wednesday, Feb. 22 to reserve you place at the event

Should be a lot of fun and plenty of soap in Las Vegas on Feb. 29. We’ll see you there!



Clean the World’s Shawn Seipler and ACI’s Nancy Bock.

After much planning, preparation and promotion the Inaugural Clean the World Gala finally arrived Nov. 5 at The Peabody Orlando, and by all accounts, it was worth the wait.

Gala sponsors, such as The American Cleaning Institute (ACI), Marietta Corporation, Caesars Entertainment, The Walt Disney World Resorts, LATHER and countless others helped make the event an evening of fun for all involved.

“We were so excited to offer this Gala as a ‘thank you’ to our incredibly generous hospitality partners,” says Shawn Seipler, CEO and co-founder at Clean the World. “Throughout the evening, as always, we never lost sight of our mission — to recycle soap and save lives. The children and families who receive our soaps and bottled amenities in more than 45 countries are the real stars of this event.”

Seipler and co-founder Paul Till took turns poking fun at one another as they told their entrepreneurial story that led to the formation of Clean the World. It’s still a work in progress, but it is being accomplished with passion, planning and a good dose of humor.

Clean the World celebrity spokesperson Mariana Klaveno was one of the presenters at the event, and recording artist Jean Beauvoir performed “I Keep Holding On (A Song for Haiti).” The host, WKMG-TV6 (CBS-Orlando) chief meteorologist Tom Sorrells, was pleased with the way the whole night came together.

“Orlando is filled with big fundraising events, Galas and other good causes,” Sorrells says. “Clean the World really took a bold step forward and pulled off a terrific first-time event that truly was a celebration. I can only imagine what it will be like in years to come.”

An estimated 400 guests attended the Gala, which was promoted as a celebration of the hospitality industry’s embrace of soap and bottled amenities recycling. BIZBASH has the details.

We’re just days away from the Inaugural Clean the World Gala, and the excitement is building. Individual tickets and table sponsorships are available, but time is running out. Register online to reserve your place at the party.

Hospitality industry leaders will gather Saturday, Nov. 5, at The Peabody Orlando in celebration of their collective embrace of the Clean the World hospitality partnership program, and to realize the impact this simple solution is having in the lives of children and families around the world.

We’ve talked a lot about the Gala in this newsletter in past several months, and now it’s almost time to start the show. Here’s what you can expect to see at the Inaugural Clean the World Gala:

– Actress Mariana Klaveno of Showtime’s “Dexter” and HBO’s “True Blood” will be a presenter at the event. Klaveno is celebrity spokesperson for Clean the World and has spent time recycling soaps on our behalf at our recycling operations center in Vancouver, British Columbia.
– Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy, sidelined by the NBA lockout, has turned his attention to saving lives with soap. He’s a strong supporter of Clean the World and will be available to meet and greet guests, sign autographs and share his bubbly personality and passion for Clean the World.
– Thomas McClary, one of the original founders of “The Commodores” and several other music industry projects, will also lend his talents to our event. We call him “Mr. Brickhouse”. When you meet him, you’ll know why.
– Local meteorologist Tom Sorrells from WKMG-Local 6 (CBS Orlando) will host the event. He, too, has volunteered with his family members in our Orlando soap recycling facility, so he knows firsthand how important and rewarding it is to “get your hands dirty cleaning soap” for a good cause.

The event will feature exciting entertainment from around the world to represent countries served by Clean the World and its global distribution partnerships. Recording artist Jean Beauvoir will perform a special treat that he’s dedicating to his Haitian homeland. Cultural dances performers from Colombia, Ghana, Haiti, India, Native American culture and the United States will also highlight the Gala entertainment.

And, of course, you’ll hear a lot about Clean the World and how your contributions and support of our efforts have fueled a global hygiene revolution.

The Inaugural Clean the World Gala is a celebration of sustainability and socially responsible programs for the hospitality industry. It mirrors our mission at Clean the World and centers on the children and families who remain at the heart of all that we do. And we couldn’t do it without you.

So, let’s count on seeing you there for a great night of fun and fundraising. Register now to get your tickets and look forward to having fun at the Inaugural Clean the World Gala. Soap saves lives!

Eat. Drink. Celebrate. Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011.

Be a part of Orlando’s newest “must attend” event… The Inaugural Clean the World Gala.

Join 1,200 friends and associates for a night of networking and nightlife at The Peabody Orlando.

Indulge in lavish food prepared with attention to every detail by renowned Peabody Orlando chefs.

Enjoy international cultural dance performances from a variety of global dance troupes.

Interact and bid on remarkable items at a Silent Auction to benefit children and families in need.

Have fun with lively entertainment from a classic rock band, “G Money and the Rock Revolution”

It’s fundraising with an emphasis on “fun.” Benefits Clean the World.

Sponsorships available. Contact tonya@savor-events.com

Purchase your tickets at www.cleantheworld.org/gala

As we move closer to the Inaugural Clean the World Gala on Nov. 5, 2011 at The Peabody Orlando, sponsors are lining up to take part in the celebration.

And what a celebration it will be. We’re expecting 1,200 hospitality industry leaders, meeting planners, vendors and Clean the World supporters to join us for fun, food, cultural dancing and entertainment.

Some of the biggest names in the hospitality industry have committed to sponsorships already, including: The Peabody Orlando, The Walt Disney World Resorts, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Visit Orlando, Gilchrist & Soames, Marietta Corporation, and many more.

Click here to view the growing list of our Inaugural Clean the World Gala sponsors and learn how you and your organization can come join the fun.

We’ll see you at the Gala!

Lavish fundraising event scheduled Saturday, November 5 at The Peabody Orlando to honor Clean the World hotel partners, celebrate worldwide cultures and focus attention on the global hygiene revolution

The Peabody Orlando will host the First Annual Clean the World Gala

Clean the World Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization that collects, recycles and distributes recycled hotel soaps and bottled amenities, is planning a celebration in November to draw attention to the power of soap as an aid to promoting hygiene health.

Some of the biggest names in the hospitality industry, the private sector and philanthropic endeavors are attending, including executives from The Walt Disney World Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Marriott Vacation Club International, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, and many more.

The First Annual Clean the World Gala will take place Saturday, November 5 at The Peabody Orlando. The luxury hotel was one of Clean the World’s first of more than 1,000 hotel partners to join the successful soap and bottled amenities recycling program that has helped boost sustainability and environmentally focused “green” initiatives for hotels and bed-and-breakfast properties throughout North America.

Corporate sponsorship opportunities are available to help raise funds for Clean the World Foundation, which has collected, recycled and distributed more than 8 million soap bars to children and families in need in the United States and more than 40 countries, including Haiti, Japan, Zimbabwe, Uganda, India, Honduras, Mexico and Albania. More information about sponsorships and details about the Gala may be found at this link.

The Gala, which is expected to attract approximately 1,200 attendees, will feature cultural dance troupes from several countries and continents that have received soaps from Clean the World, including Africa, Albania, Colombia, Haiti and the United States.

“This is a celebration of the people who are at the leading edge of our global hygiene revolution, and the cultures that benefit most from the generosity of our hospitality industry partners, supporters and friends,” says Shawn Seipler, co-founder and executive director at Clean the World. “Our efforts to promote proper hygiene education to stop the spread of preventable diseases would not be possible without the support and the utmost respect for the cultures and communities we serve around the globe.”

Fundraising for the Clean the World Foundation is essential to help broaden the reach of the soap recycling efforts worldwide and get soaps and hygiene-related products in the hands of the people who need them most. Medical research studies have shown that simple hand washing with soap can help prevent hygiene related deaths by more than 60 percent, yet there are communities around the world in which soap is such a valuable commodity that hygiene is considered a luxury, not a necessity.

Each day, 9,000 children around the world die from diseases such as acute respiratory illness and diarrheal diseases that can be prevented by washing with bar soap. These are the top two killers of children under the age of 5. Clean the World Foundation has a mission to provide soap where needed to help improve hygiene and sanitation conditions, to lessen the impact of disease, and to promote better hygiene and living conditions worldwide.

And there is an environmentally friendly mission as well. Clean the World has partnered with more than 1,000 hotel properties in North America to provide soaps and bottled amenities to people in need. While doing so, the organization has also fulfilled a valuable environmental mission by diverting an estimated 550 tons of hotel waste from polluting landfills in the United States and Canada.

“This is such a tremendous organization that should be on the short list for business partners and philanthropists everywhere,” says Gregg Herning, vice president of sales and marketing at Peabody Hotels and event chair of the First Annual Clean the World Gala. “We’re doing our part to bring attention to their good works, but we know the real benefits will be realized by the improved health of people who receive these soaps and go on to lead healthier, happier lives.”

About Clean the World Global LLC

Clean the World Global LLC is a social enterprise committed to saving lives and protecting our planet. It offers sustainable, socially responsible, and charitable programs and services to the international hospitality community. Clean the World Foundation Inc. is the 501 (c) (3) charitable arm of Clean the World. Clean the World Foundation Inc. executes its mission of saving millions of lives around the globe by leading a global hygiene revolution to distribute recycled soap and hygiene products to children and families suffering from high death rates due to the top two killers of children worldwide – acute respiratory infection (pneumonia) and diarrheal diseases (cholera). For more information visit: http://localhost:8888/cleantheworld/. Text CLEAN to 20222 to donate $10 to help Clean the World.

About The Peabody Orlando

The Peabody Orlando, opened in November 1986, is a staple in the Orlando-area convention and tourism industry and famous for its Peabody Ducks. The hotel has received the prestigious Forbes Travel Guide Four Star rating for 22 consecutive years. Located directly across from and adjacent to the Orange County Convention Center and in the heart of the International Drive entertainment district, The Peabody Orlando currently offers 1,641 ultra-luxurious guestrooms, 300,000 total square feet of state-of-the-art, flexible function space, a 22,000-square-foot, full-service spa, salon and fitness center and ten delectable dining and entertainment options. Peabody Hotels, comprising The Peabody Orlando, The Peabody Memphis and The Peabody Little Rock (all Forbes Travel Guide Four Star rated hotels) is a division within the portfolio Peabody Hotel Group of Memphis, Tennessee. To learn more, please visit http://www.peabodyorlando.com/, connect on Facebook or follow on Twitter.

World-class dancing, a celebrity host, remarkable entertainment and a decadent dessert bar. All this awaits you – along with exceptional VIP treatment – as you join us at the First Annual Clean the World Gala: Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011 at The Peabody Orlando.

You’re invited to share in the celebration as we honor our amazing hospitality industry partners, sponsors and friends who have helped grow Clean the World into an international social enterprise for global good.

Corporate sponsorship opportunities are now available for this exciting event. Click here to define your commitment to Clean the World and confirm your sponsorship level. The biggest names in the hospitality industry will be attending this event – true movers and shakers – and you’ll want to proudly participate in this Gala to help benefit Clean the World.

Give a child a chance to live a healthier life. Join our global hygiene revolution. Become a sponsor today.