Press
Silver Sands Gets Creative While Giving Back for the Ho-Ho-Holidays
Miramar Beach, Fla. (December 20, 2011) – Santa’s arrival at Silver Sands Factory Stores kicked off the holidays along with the season of giving. For the past nine years Silver Sands has worked closely with Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast to provide holiday cheer while giving back to the community. Every year Santa flies into Silver Sands on Sacred Heart’s AIRHeart Helicopter and donations have been made to Sacred Heart’s charities, but this year a holiday craft project will leave the most lasting impression.
“Every year hundreds of locals look forward to the excitement of Santa’s arrival at Silver Sands,” stated Ashley Watkins, Marketing Director for Silver Sands. “This annual event is the perfect culmination of celebration, charitable giving and community and we hope that with the unique new element added this year that we will have an impact on our friends and neighbors for years to come.”
Each year Santa flies into Silver Sands in style aboard Sacred Heart Hospital’s AIRHeart Helicopter to greet a crowd of excited children. After parading to the Courtyard, in a red Mustang convertible, Santa handed out the prizes for the holiday costume contest. A winner was selected from each age category and awarded a $50 Silver Sands gift card along with a $100 donation made in their name to a Sacred Heart charity of their choice. After the winners were announced, the children shared their wish lists with Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick while getting complimentary photos taken.
This year Silver Sands got creative with an exciting new component to the event that would give back to the community for years to come. Silver Sands worked with Abrakadoodle and Sacred Heart Hospital to create a holiday craft project that would brighten the spirits of Sacred Heart patients year round. Children worked together to create ceiling tile masterpieces that will go into the Pediatric Post Anesthesia Care Units, part of Sacred Heart’s new Heart and Vascular Center. “Silver Sands places a top priority in giving back to the community,” commented Watkins. “That is what this event is all about and we are thankful for the ongoing support of our partnership with Sacred Heart Hospital.”
ABOUT SILVER SANDS FACTORY STORES
Silver Sands Factory Stores, a Howard Group Development, is the nation’s largest designer outlet center located near Destin, FL in the heart of Northwest Florida Beaches, named one of Frommer’s top 2010 international destinations. The Center currently features more than 100 designer factory stores with 465,200 square feet of retail space, and ultimately 700,000 planned. Silver Sands is visited by over seven million shoppers each year who shop for designer merchandise at up to 75 percent off retail prices. Silver Sands is located on Emerald Coast Parkway, one mile west of Sandestin® Golf and Beach Resort. For more information, call the Shopper Services at 850.654.9771 ext 1 or visit online at silversandsoutlet.com. Fan Silver Sands on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SilverSands) or follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/SilverSandsFS).
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Media Contacts:
Katie Johnson, Communications Manager
kj@silversandsoutlet.com
850.654.9771
Ashley Watkins, Marketing Director
aw@silversandsoutlet.com
850.654.9771