In the spirit of Christmas charity, the Super 8 Motel here once again is offering its “Rooms at the Inn” program to accommodate families who have to spend the holidays in Fort Frances to be with a loved one who’s hospitalized.
Wanda Barker, manager of the Super 8 in the west end of town, said this morning she’s glad to offer the special for a second year now.
“This gives people the opportunity to spend time with a loved one when maybe they wouldn’t have been able to,” she remarked.
Barker noted six rooms were used during the four-day period the program ran last year.
The “Rooms at the Inn” offer is valid from Dec. 23-27. If it applies to you, stop by the motel (810 King’s Highway) or call 274-4945 and mention you are in town visiting a family member who is in hospital.
This information also has been forwarded to the hospitals here and in Emo, as well as to Rainycrest Home for the Aged.
The chain of Super 8 motels have been offering its “Rooms at the Inn” deal across Canada and the U.S. for 12 consecutive years, giving away more than 11,000 rooms.
This is only the second Christmas the Super 8 has been open here.
“It’s a way to give back to community,” said Richard Nichols, general manager of the Mentor, Ohio Super 8 motel, in a press release from the company.
“I, at one time, could not afford to travel and visit a sick relative so I know how helpful this can be,” he noted. “A lot of people can’t afford to spend the night near family.”
The Super 8’s “Rooms at the Inn” program is based on a program started in 1988 by Super 8 franchisers Linda and Gary Tharaldson.
“Christmas and Thanksgiving were associated with a lot of bad memories for us. We decided a program like this would help us change that—turn a negative into a positive,” the couple said.
This year, Super 8 motels expect to give away 1,000 room nights to holiday travellers in need.
