Carlson Hotels worked together with community organizations in the Twin Cities' area to provide more than 10,500 activity and book bags to local children. The tote bags contained a fun activity map, colored pencil and goggles.

"We wanted to provide a multi-purpose tote bag with some fun items that can help encourage children involved in community groups to stay active in school and in extra-curricular activities," said Baron Carr, vice president of Brand Marketing for Carlson Hotels Worldwide, who donated the bags on behalf of their Radisson Hotels & Resorts and Country Inns & Suites By Carlson brands.

James Walker, Behavior Intervention Specialist at Dayton's Bluff Elementary School in St. Paul, helped organize the donation at the after school program he manages. "The bag donation is a nice fit for our program which aims to keep kids active and focused on their school work," said Walker. Representatives from the YMCA and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities also attended the bag donation event.

The bag donation at Dayton's Bluff Elementary School is part of a larger effort by Carlson Hotels Worldwide to not only reach out to local youth groups including the YMCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities, Latina Youth at La Escuelita and Latina Girl Scout troops but to provide relief for hurricane victims in Houston and San Antonio, Texas and flood victims in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The company has donated more than 15,000 bags valued at more than $302,000.