Gillum Bed & Breakfast in Shinnston, West Virginia owned by Kathleen Panek whose idea began B&Bs for Vets.
While everyone probably wants to get straight to the scoop of this awesome offer for active duty military and veterans, I think it is more important to first thank the beautiful lady behind this kind gesture…Kathleen Panek, owner of the Gillum House B&B in Shinnston, West Virginia. In my opinion, this offer- that may seem just like a simple act of kindness- is one of the most generous gifts of thanks being offered to military and vets.
Some of you may wonder, how one night at a bed and breakfast is considered SO generous. When you really think about it, the “Bed & Breakfast” industry is not a high earning industry. Many of these B&Bs have only a few rooms and the innkeepers count on booking as many rooms as possible just to keep income coming in and their bills paid…especially in the economic “crunch” that our country has seen. Through this great act of generosity, the participating B&Bs are willingly giving up the revenue of a room for the night.
In 1998, this act of kindness started with Panek offering a room to Navy officer who was visiting his in-laws. The following year, Panek hosted another family. As of 2010, Panek’s spark turned into not just a flame but a nice sized campfire as she shared her idea with other innkeepers. According to the B&Bs for Vets website, the initiative “has expanded to include 48 states, 4 international locations, and more than 800 inns” that are offering at least one room up for thanking the military for their service.
Getting antsy that I’m not getting to the point? Alright, here are the details:
- The free room is available for the night of November 10th checking out on Veteran’s Day- November 11th.
- The offer is for military and veterans– valid military or veteran’s ID is required. (The offer is not more specific– so, you may want to verify when making the reservation.) **I received an email back from Kathleen Panek and she wanted me to note that Veteran’s Administration ID cards are accepted also…which is a great open door to Vietnam, Korean, and World War II veterans to use this offer as well.
-Reservations are to be made directly through the B&B that you would like to stay at. Many B&B’s only have one room available and reservations are filling up quickly. The list of participants is available on the organization’s link above.
*If you utilize this offer, please thank the B&B for being so kind as to host you as this is a generous thing that they are offering. Additionally, I have read articles stating that many of the B&B owners that have chosen to participate have either served in the military themselves or have a family member that has or is serving– to include some with family members deployed.
**Image of the Gillum House is the creative property of Kathleen Panek and the Gillum House B&B.
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