B&Bs for Vets 2017 is now in full swing, accepting B&Bs signing up to offer our veterans a minimum of one free night (or more). Have you signed up? If not take a look at the Innkeepers Information and please consider joining the growing group of inns thanking our veterans and the many sacrifices they make.

Found a great blog written by a woman who knows! Listing four major sacrifices our veterans face. Veterans put their lives in danger while life at home moves on without them. The joys of daily family life we civilians often take for granted.

Missing the birth of their baby is a definite number 1. Depending on where a new daddy is, communications can be sketchy. Their wives go into labor, give birth and they may have no way to contact them. Or they may have watched over video chat the birth but then not physically able to hold and touch their child.

Stress of not knowing the where and what of your service member’s status. Months may go by without a word, not knowing if the person you love is hurt or worse.

‘Normal’ life planning for veterans is challenging at best. Buying a home in a neighborhood of your choice for your children with good schools and securing roots in the community. Not happening for military families.

The ultimate sacrifice is the unthinkable but the reality. Saying goodbye, permanently, yet knowing full well that the ultimate sacrifice was for a cause they felt deeply about. A void to live with for the rest of the loved ones lives.

Thank you Rachel Engel for your blog; ‘4 major sacrifices military families make. It’s not just missing out on celebrating anniversaries and milestones.’ Her insights are close to home for her. Her writings specialize in military and military family issues. She lives in a military installation with her active duty military husband and children.

The B&Bs for Vets program is our industry’s humble way of saying thank you to our veterans for the multitude of sacrifices they make. ‘Sacrificing’ a room or maybe more on Veteran’s Day is our way of recognizing and honoring their many sacrifices.

IMPORTANT NOTE: “Because of where the holiday falls, we are asking innkeepers to give their free rooms away on November 9, 10 or 11, 2017 (innkeeper’s choice of dates).”

I will close with a quote from an innkeeper that hosted an ‘innfull’ of veterans last year.

“What we also did not imagine, was how rewarding, personally, doing this would be. We enjoyed pleasant conversation with the vets and spent hours talking with them about their experiences in the service. We look forward to participating in this program again next year. Thank you for providing the mechanism that makes this all possible.” Larry and Patricia Reynolds. Gracefield Hall Bed & Breakfast

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf