The Hilton Garden Inn hopes to be a guardian angel in the effort to help the Roanoke Cinema reach its goal of going digital.
The hotel in the Carolina Crossroads Entertainment District is selling small and large angels to adorn its lobby Christmas tree, said Monique Broadnax, director of sales.
It was a cause born in a manager's meeting just this week and Broadnax came up with the idea. “The tree at the hotel is very large and everyone gets to see it.”
During the meeting the cinema's Kickstarter campaign to convert to digital came up and Broadnax came up with the Christmas tree angel idea and donate the proceeds to Blaine and Janelle Given, who bought the theater on East Tenth Street.
Thus far the cinema has raised $4,206 in pledges to make the badly needed digital upgrade, according to its Kickstarter page.
The hotel is selling $1 small angels and $5 large angels where the donor can write their name before hanging it on the tree.
Broadnax said it is important for the Hilton to get behind the project. “I was raised up and have been in this community. They've closed the skating rink and the bowling alley. It's important to keep stuff going for the children.”
Out of state visitors have contributed to the cause, she said, and locals only need go to the front desk.
The tree will remain up past New Year's. After that, the hotel will continue the fundraising drive with a different campaign, she said.