Earth Day at Renaissance Aveda Spa

Water is precious in the dry Southwest, so the Renaissance Aveda Spa in downtown Denver celebrates Earth Day by raising money for conservation and environmental projects.

Writing about Denver's top spas had me thinking about water, always a precious resource in the Southwest states. So I was especially pleased to find that one of my favorite spas, the Renaissance Aveda Spa in downtown Denver's Hotel Monaco, is throwing an Earth Day Bash this week to raise money for water conservation projects.

Spa Manager Tamara Henderson tells me that each April, Aveda spas, salons, schools and retail stores across the country work to raise money for an earth-related cause. This year the focus is on water - both providing clean water to communities around the world, and working to conserve it.

The Denver spa's local Earth Month partner is Western Resource Advocates, based in Boulder, Colorado. They focus on the protection of endangered plants and animals, water conservation, wind power creation and other environmental causes in Colorado and surrounding states.

In honor of Earth Day 2007, Renaissance Aveda Spa and Salon is donating $5 from every service on April 26 to Western Resource Advocates. And in the evening, they are hosting a special Earth Day celebration and fund-raiser at Hotel Monaco.

How about a dirty or clean martini? Special cocktails with water in mind were created for this event, followed by delicious organic food from Chef Elise Wiggins of the award-winning Panzano restaurant. It's accompanied by organic wine from Hotel Monaco, Denver's greenest hotel.

The entry donation includes a raffle ticket for some great prizes. The grand prize is a massage a month for a whole year! Now that's a gamble worth taking. More funds will be raised through the silent auction of a mountain getaway, beautiful art and other exclusive items.

The spa's signature hydrotherapy treatment – Total Body Elixir – ranks at the top of my most unforgettable water experiences. Seven shower heads are directed at seven chakra centers along the spine for an invigorating warm water massage. I left feeling totally relaxed and balanced.

The spa's Earth Day fundraiser is a balancing treatment, too. It helps give back some of what we receive from the earth's resources - in this case, water. And one small gesture can make great waves.

To read about top spas in Denver, Colorado click here.