June 2019   |   63

What is the mission of INFINITE T? How was it started?

The INFINITE-T program is the volunteer and corporate 

giving arm of Turnberry.  The program is designed to not only 

provide meaningful opportunities for employees to give back 

their time, talent or treasure, but also highlight that we are a 

community driven business.   

In 2018, before the program first launched, Turnberry’s 

leadership team came together to discuss how the company could 

make a powerful impact in our communities. The team came up 

with core initiatives that would allow us to focus our efforts on 

a specific issue throughout the year. Our core initiatives include 

At-Risk Youth and Education, Animal Welfare, Arts Education, 

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Food and Clothing 

for Locals in Need, and Local Environment and Disaster Relief. 

The INFINITE-T program believes that building 

communities is so much more than developing a beautiful 

building, hotel, or space, but that through giving back, we can 

ultimately make these communities even stronger.

How did the name INFINITE-T come about?

The play on the word “Infinity” is the idea that an entity is 

boundless, unlimited, and self-sustaining. As a generational 

business, this is at the core of everything we do. 

With all projects we take on, we determine if the project will be 

sustainable and how it will impact the next generation.

Inevitably the same answer is given. If we are positively serving 

and impacting the surrounding community, then that venture 

will be sustainable - it will be infinite.

Discuss your role/how what you were doing locally that 

allowed you to become a part of the big picture of 

INFINITE-T?

Because of the success of Destin Commons’ Coins for a Cause 

program, I was tapped by our corporate office to join 6 other 

representatives from sister properties all over the US to bring 

our best practices together to come up with a blueprint for how 

a corporate giving program could be implemented nationwide at 

our properties.  We started the process in July of 2017, launched 

January of 2018 and are successfully halfway through our second 

year.

Help us understand how the program is helping locally and 

nationally, and some particular projects.

With assets throughout the country, Turnberry is able to make 

an impact in several communities. We focus on volunteering at 

small organizations such as animal shelters and food banks in 

our local areas, but also partner with national charities like Susan 

G. Komen, Best Buddies, and Salvation Army, by donating, 

fundraising, and participating in their annual events. In 2018 

alone, INFINITE-T contributed $5.24 million and volunteered 

2,255 hours to over 96 organizations. 

Since the inception of Coins for a Cause at Destin Commons in 

2004, we have given back over $1.7million in cash and gift card 

donations to local and regional nonprofit organizations.  In 2018 

it totaled $98,560 alone!  

We invite nonprofits to use our center to host fundraising 

events. In 2018, five different nonprofit organizations were able 

to raise over $90,000 in funds from their events that are hosted 

here free of charge.  

We also partner with the BloodMobile on monthly blood 

drives as well as Walton County Animal Shelter multiple times 

each month through adoption events that see dozens of animals 

finding their forever homes.  

Our staff is also extremely involved through serving on 

nonprofit boards, chamber boards and committees for economic, 

tourism, and military development.  Three of our staff members 

were recognized companywide in 2018 for being in the top five of 

our entire company for total volunteer hours – Destin Commons 

staff alone contributed over 300 hours.

How can a person or business become involved or help with 

your mission?

The easiest way an individual can get involved with our mission 

is to plug the meters when they park at Destin Commons.  The 

meters take loose change and are also credit card friendly as well 

so when you land one of the front row parking spaces in front of 

the stores, give back!

Businesses are encouraged to get involved by sponsoring 

our largest signature event and main charitable giving avenue, 

Smoke on the Coast.  Sponsorships are still available for this year 

so contact HRuiz@turnberry.com.  Get all of the promotional 

benefits of one of the largest events on the Emerald Coast and 

help-out 18 local nonprofit organizations while doing it.

Interview with Heather Ruiz   

Senior Director of Marketing, INFINITE-T

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