OAK BROOK, ILL.—The Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center is going above and beyond in its effort to give back to the community and help the environment. In addition to local homeless shelters, the multi-faceted west suburban resort recently donated its premium linens to Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, where the 250-thread count bedding is being used as additional nesting material for the western lowland gorillas at Regenstein Center for African Apes.
“While we continue to elevate our guest experience at the hotel,” said Nathan Karsten, Director of Sales & Marketing at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center, “we’re committed to operating a sustainable business and supporting the greater good of the whole community.”
So far in 2015, Oak Brook Hills has launched two new environmentally-friendly initiatives, including an innovative beekeeping program and a Horticultural Gallery. However, the zoo donation may be among its most unique measures to date. The same luxurious linens that Hilton guests used to relax are now being used as nesting material in the western lowland gorilla exhibits at the historic Lincoln Park Zoo. The toddler gorilla females, Patty and Nayembi, also use the linens for enrichment; playing with the blankets helps keep them stimulated and active. Bahati, the mother of two-month-old gorilla Bella, will use the linens for nesting material for the pair until Bella is less reliant on mother and can make her own nest.
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