This month, many bed and breakfasts have launched initiatives to further good causes and help people who really deserve some rest and relaxation. Here are some of the wonderful programs we have recently heard about. Please leave a comment and let us know if there are any we're missing!
B&Bs For Vets
This generous initiative is organized by Kathleen Panek from Gillum House Bed and Breakfast. On Veteran’s Day (Wednesday, November 10), over 300 B&Bs and small inns will honor vets by giving them a free night’s stay. The West Virginia B&B Association (formerly MABB) started the B&Bs for Vets program in 2009, and this year now features hundreds of participating properties in over 40 states and provinces. Reservations must be made directly with the participating B&Bs and inns, and a valid military or VA ID is required for each reservation. Note that availability is limited, so if you’re a military veteran, book now! You can find the list of participating inns here.
Fund Breast Cancer Research
In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Desert Rose Bed and Breakfast in Cottonwood, AZ (pictured below) is raising money for breast cancer through their Facebook page. From now until October 31, when you visit their Facebook page and click “like” at the top of the page, they will donate a dollar for breast cancer research. The B&B is donating a dollar for each new Facebook fan until the end of the month, so visit their page and click “like” now! At the time this was written, they were at 1,466 likes. Once they hit 2,000 likes, they will also randomly select a winner for a free stay at the B&B!
Free Rooms for Breast Cancer Survivors
Captain Lord Mansion, a BedandBreakfast.com Diamond Collection property in Kennebunkport, Maine (pictured below), is also taking a stand against breast cancer. Since January, Captain Lord Mansion has donated a dime for each guest who stayed at the property to their “A Dime for Time” fund. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the innkeeper’s sister who died of breast cancer, the Dime for Time funds will be donated to the American Cancer Society for breast cancer awareness and research programs. To date, more than $2,000 has been raised in the Dime For Time Program through donations from the Captain Lord Mansion and its guests. The inn donated one dime if the guest visited once, yet the dime was doubled if it was the guests’ second visit, and it was multiplied by ten if the guest visited ten times.
Breast cancer survivors are also invited to apply for a complimentary weekend at the inn from November 19-21. Those interested in being considered should email to innkeeper@captainlord.com and include a brief story about themselves. Additionally, those interested in being considered should “like” the Captain Lord Mansion on their Facebook page by October 15, 2010. Each breast cancer survivor who is selected will receive a free two-night stay, chair massages, and attendance at a reception where Captain Lord Mansion will present the check for funds they have raised to the American Cancer Society.
