Seeking a Midcoast Maine destination with heart during heart month and beyond? When you stay at one of the four Historic Inns of Rockland, your Midcoast Maine escape comes with more than just a room. Stay at Berry Manor Inn, LimeRock Inn, Granite Inn or Captain Lindsey House and indirectly your stay helps to support hungry families in the community and eco-friendly organizations too. How? Read on.
Recently the Historic Inns of Rockland were given a citation from the Rockland City Council applauding them for their contribution to help hungry families on Maine’s Midcoast. The citation read “Be it known to all that we, the Mayor and members of the Rockland City Council join in commending the Historic Inns of Rockland’s “Pies on Parade” for raising more than $10,000 for the Area Interfaith Outreach Food Pantry. And be it ordered that this Resolve of Commendation be sent forthwith on behalf of the City of Rockland”. What the citation didn’t mention is the additional $40,000 raised by the Pies on Parade event organized by the Historic Inns of Rockland and donated each year over the eight-year tenure of this event.
Pies on Parade is the single largest fundraising event to support the Area Interfaith Outreach Food Pantry and Fuel Assistance Program. Organized by the Historic Inns of Rockland and supported by more than 20 participating businesses, this event when matched with funding from other sources has raised enough to feed as many as 100 hungry families for a year in the past.
Hundreds of hours in planning, promoting and baking are put in over twelve months to coordinate Pies on Parade. The planning for the next one begins the day after the last one is over. After the 8th Annual Pies on Parade Pie Tour was over, Cheryl Michaelsen shared “Twenty two inns, restaurants and businesses donated more 600 hours of time and thousands of dollars in products and services to ensure a sizable donation could be made to the food pantry this year.” Yet, given their creation and sponsorship of the event, the real time commitment comes from the four Historic Inns of Rockland.
While the Pie Tour undertaking is their largest, the Historic Inns of Rockland have supported a number of additional community non-profit organizations with cash and in-kind donations. Offering $1 per guest for years to environmental groups, the Historic Inns of Rockland sought to offset the carbon footprint of their guests by offering $1 per guest to local non-profits with an emphasis on improving the environment and eco-travel. Additionally, each guest still receives their eco-friendly reusable shopping bag when they stay at one of the Historic Inns of Rockland. Their eco-efforts are notable, so be on the lookout for that in another blog.
The Historic Inns of Rockland have supported lighthouses, libraries and chambers with donations of rooms for silent auctions and prizes. They are regularly asked to donate to help organizations raise money through raffles and their offers of getaway prizes are often the most sought after. Additionally, each of the Historic Inns of Rockland innkeepers has their own story of helping those in need. Cheryl Michaelsen and Mike LaPosta of the Berry Manor Inn provided a home for one victim of Hurricane Katrina for a month. Frank Isganitis and PJ Walter came to the rescue of stranded vacationers and helped them change a tire when their car and trailer broke down in front of the inn.
Helping those in need in partnership with non-profit organizations and other businesses is the mantra of the Historic Inns of Rockland. Remember, when you stay at member inns including the Granite Inn, Captain Lindsey House, Berry Manor Inn and LimeRock Inn you’re not just getting hospitality, you’re getting hospitality with a heart! Your loyalty to these inns helps them to continue helping the community, making you a traveler with a heart! Since February is the month of hearts, the Historic Inns of Rockland offer heartfelt thanks for your indirect support to the community too.
