July 02, 2011--Whether they are checking a customer in, making a bed, delivering room service or providing valet parking, hotel employees work hard in the service of others.

In recognition of that service, 120 hotel employees in Yuma who work for Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Candlewood Suites were recently treated to an entire week celebrating their hard work.

Maria Giovanna Reed, front desk agent for Holiday Inn Express, said feeling appreciated does much to lift employees' morale.

"I know it can get kind of daunting sometimes when every day your job is to make sure everyone else is happy. It is really awesome there is a whole week about us -- about making us happy."

The second annual Celebrate Service Week was held worldwide at all InterContinental Hotels Group properties June 2-26. IHG owns over 4,400 hotels in 100 countries, including three in Yuma, and employs about 300,000 people.

"It's not just happening in America but absolutely everywhere across the globe right now. We are seeing this in China, Argentina, Europe -- everywhere," said Jeff Krivoshen, IHG marketing and public relations representative.

"The employees are our lifeblood. They are the first person that our customer sees when they come in the building, they are the last person they see when they leave, and they are the ones that provide the service day in and day out that allows our hotels to be as successful as they are down here."

Happy employees go a long way to help keep a business profitable, Krivoshen said.

"It is obviously a very competitive market down here in Yuma with the number of hotels we have. Whatever edge we can provide for our employees -- things we can do to celebrate their success this year -- is only going to pay dividends for us."

Each day of Celebrate Service Week was given a theme such as crazy glasses day or crazy hair day.

Krivoshen has found happy employees perform their duties better. That is why the celebratory week culminated with a party attended by employees from all three Yuma hotels.

During the party, the employes participated in friendly competitions against each other.

"It is funny," Krivoshen said. "We are looking at grown men in gunnysack races here, playing musical chairs and all the rest. It really is an opportunity to let off some steam and have the management let them know how much we really appreciate them day in and day out."

Chris McDaniel can be reached at [email protected] or 539-6849.

-----

To see more of The Sun or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.yumasun.com/.

Copyright (c) 2011, The Sun, Yuma, Ariz.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. NYSE:SCI,