More about the good work of innkeepers celebrating military and veterans, which we talked about yesterday, here. From today's mailbag:
Veteran's Day is Turning Into a Reciprocal Chain of Kindness
Hundreds of Bed and Breakfasts Give Veterans a Free Night; Restaurants, Others, Chime In
NEW YORK, Oct. 13 _ An effort of good will started by the bed and breakfast community to offer a free night stay to veterans on Veteran’s Day is turning into a reciprocal chain of kindness, pay-it-forward-style. Now hundreds of bed and breakfasts have offered complimentary rooms. Meanwhile, restaurants, even massage therapists have joined the effort, offering everything from free meals to free pampering. It seems an ember of kindness can spark into a really big deal.
“There’s a basic human emotion called moral elevation. When we see acts of service, sacrifice, and generosity, it moves us. Such acts give us a warm feeling in our chest and motivate us to do good deeds ourselves,” explained Jonathan Haidt, professor of psychology at the University of Virginia and author of two books on positive psychology. Haidt, who actively studies positive emotions, such as elevation, admiration, and awe says kindness can be contagious. “Many of us in America are elevated by the sacrifice and service of our veterans. A natural expression of this is the desire to do something good for them, to call attention to the service they’ve done for us,” he said.
The bed and breakfasts were the first group to come together, teaming up to offer a free night’s stay to veterans on Wednesday, November 10th, the night before Veteran's Day. Men and women currently serving or those who have previously served our country are eligible for a complimentary stay at a participating inn. The only requirement for these rooms is a valid military identification. Veterans can obtain an I.D. from the Veterans Administration.
The program, started in 2009 by the West Virginia B&B Association used to include about a dozen inns. This year it’s grown dramatically to more than 600 inns, 40 states, plus other countries. Gillum House Bed & Breakfast and The Thomas Shepherd Inn sponsor the site that lists participating inns at www.bnbsforvets.org. So much changes each day that the Thomas Shepherd Inn has found it challenging to timely mark inns as “full” and add new properties. Not to mention, ready for guests at the inn now and prepare for veterans coming to stay there too; the inn has contributed three rooms to the promotion. Jill and Wade Linger, a veteran Air Force computer programmer, will be in one of them. “I read about it in the newspaper,” said Wade. “I thought it would be a great idea, something different to do with my wife.” (For more info on the Thomas Shepherd Inn, click here.)
Mass emails to veterans, social media, and press have made it possible for vets to learn of the program, it’s also made it hard to turn them away. Jan Leksich, owner of the Victoria Resort Bed & Breakfast in South Haven, Michigan initially planned to set aside one room at the inn for a veteran. “The calls kept coming. I booked five of my nine rooms for veterans. It’s a big chunk out of my inventory but what can I say? I have a soft spot." Leksich’s father was a veteran, as is her best friend’s husband. “I feel it’s the least that I can do,” she said. The Victoria Resort B&B is now offering vets that missed the free room a buy-one-get one night free the following week Sunday through Thursday. (For more info on the Victoria Resort B&B, click here.)
At the White Cedar Inn in Freeport, Maine, innkeepers Monica Kissane and Rock Nadeau have donated all of their rooms to the cause, and then went a step further and called local restaurants trying to get their soon-to-stay vets some complimentary meals. “We approached some restaurants and three said they would foot the bill for the service person’s dinner,” said Monica. Now Azure Café, Jameson Tavern, and Grittys Brew Pub are pitching in on this wonderful effort too. (For more info on the White Cedar Inn, click here.)
“We’re over here trying to make a living and they’re over there fighting for our freedom, trying to take care of us. When our veterans need a break Jameson Tavern wants to be able to help out,” explained dining room manager, Carol Brown, who took the call from Monica weeks ago.
An update on MyMilitaryMommy.com alerted Tricia Knack to the promotion. She and her husband Tyler, an inspector general with the Air Force scheduled to deplane in Baghdad in January, are planning a visit to theTimmermann House Bed and Breakfast in Aviston, Illinois. When Sandy Timmermann first got the call she took the reservation but felt she needed to do more. “I immediately called the massage therapist that comes here to do massages for our guests, who jumped at the chance to participate with complimentary massages… then I called Popeye’s Chop House and spoke with the owner, he’s a vet too. The restaurant will offer its food buy-one at full price and the second at half price,” she said. The women who sell jewelry at the inn told Sandy to make sure Tricia chooses something she likes.
Masseuse Donna Rhoads who frequents the Timmermann House said the cause really hits home. “I have a son in San Antonio and he’s sixth generation Army. When Sandy called me out of the blue it just seemed like the right thing to do. For me it’s you give and God gives back. These people suffered and their families sacrificed everything and I think they deserve it,” said Donna, who is offering two-hour massages to both Tricia and Tyler. (For more info on the Timmermann House, click here.)
And though the promotion really lasts for a day, many inns have incorporated special discounts to service men and women throughout the year. For more information on military specials visit the Salute Our Heroes specials page on BnBFinder.com, linked here.
For a full list of inns participating in the bnbsforvets program visit http://www.bnbsforvets.org.
For more information on Veteran’s Day specials or bed and breakfasts for military personnel, visit BnBFinder.com or contact Maria Coder at 212.480.0414 x 16 or email press@bnbfinder.com . And tell them Healing Combat Trauma sent you! :-)
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About BnBFinder.com
BnBFinder.com is a comprehensive online bed and breakfast directory, providing site visitors with more than 130 search categories, including availability, price, location, and local attractions. Founded in 1998, BnBFinder.com was the first directory to offer advanced interactive technologies, including RSS feeds, a blog, downloadable content for mobile devices, and guest reviews. BnBFinder.com is a 5-Star Rated directory with thousands of B&Bs, inns, and small hotel listings from all over the world.
© 2010 by Lily Casura / Healing Combat Trauma. All rights reserved. Use with attribution.
