Kaitlin Soto, a restaurant and beverage cart server for Eaglewood Resort & Spa, won Benchmark Hospitality International’s Chairman’s Award of Excellence.
The annual award was created in 2005 by Burt Cabanas, founder and chairman of Benchmark, to recognize an employee who has exhibited extraordinary service throughout the previous year.
Soto was recommended for the award by Tom Garcia, Benchmark’s vice president and general manager for Eaglewood Resort & Spa, for her passion for nutrition and education. The award was presented in a special ceremony at Benchmark’s offices in The Woodlands, Texas.
“Whether contributing her time to healthy eating programs for children at home or volunteering her time to help improve the lives of children in the West Indies, Kaitlin is tireless with her devotion to help people live healthier lives,” Cabanas said.
While attending Benedictine University, Soto received the 2013 Nutrition Recognition Award, and in 2015 she received the Nutrition Educator Award. Working with a local cafe, she participated in events to encourage children to choose healthy lifestyles and helped to educate people to eat healthy. Soto also volunteered with Sandals Foundation in Antigua, West Indies, to educate children and help them develop skills and engage them in healthful habits, such as eating fruits and vegetables early in life.
With an organization that operates under the National School Lunch Program, Soto helped develop menus and standardized recipes to help children eat “real” foods. She is also working with the Charitable Promotions Organization in the Chicagoland area to develop a website for charities to promote their activities and become an outlet for nutrition education.
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