Heritage House B&B Blog

Our Soap Recycling Partner, Clean the World, Wins Sustainable Florida Award!!!

Here is a wonderful article about Clean the World, our guest soap recycling partner, and their big award:

http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=c21eccfb08ac537eb60f7e915&id=eea0a38a45&e=654c325a91

Excerpt:  The 2011 Sustainable Florida Best Practices Awards recognizes Clean the World’s emergence as the worldwide leader and industry standard for soap and amenities recycling in the hospitality industry, and the launch of a “global hygiene revolution” centered on recycling soap to save lives. The award also looks ahead to Clean the World’s future development of new, sustainable and socially responsible programs and services for the global hospitality community.

Congratulations, Paul & Shawn!  Help Clean the World & Save a Life when you stay at Heritage House B&B!

Remembering our Heroes on Memorial Day

Memorial Day represents one day of national awareness in honoring those American men and women who died while in military service, the ultimate sacrifice for our country's citizens.  Over the years, Gary & I have hosted a number of men and women serving in the military - some of whom have recently returned from overseas and some of whom are planning to be deployed in the near future.  At check-out, I have always made a point to thank them for their business and, most importantly, for their service to our country.  Then, as I watch them drive away, I say a short prayer for their continued safety.  I truly admire those who willingly puts themselves in harms way for the sake of preserving our democracy.

I asked one such guest, who had recently returned from deployment to Afghanistan, what kind of reaction he has received from civilians here in the States.  He responded that people commonly ask him if he personally supports the war in Afghanistan or if he supports President Obama as his Executive Commander.  Rather than get into a political debate ad nauseum, he said, he simply replies "I am an American soldier.  I support my country wherever I'm needed and in whatever I'm needed to do." 

What a simple, yet powerful, response.

I am in awe of these men and women who willingly put themselves in harms way for our country.  They are all HEROES.

To all of the men and women serving our country, I say a heartfelt "THANK YOU."  To the spouses, signifcant others and families of these men and women, I also say a heartfelt "THANK YOU."

I would like to end this posting with a political cartoon that, sadly, captures the attitude of so many American citizens.  Considering what our men and women serving in the Military do every day, is going to the polls and simply voting to preserve our democracy really that big of a sacrifice?  Cartoon:   Download Voting

Is that Le or La?

If you smile at me, I will understand.  'Cause that is something everybody, everywhere does in the same language.               Wooden Ships, by David Crosby, Paul Kantner & Stephen Stills

 

I love the opening line to this CSN song and I have thought of it several times recently while hosting international guests at the Heritage House B&B.  Gary has retained a bit of Spanish, having taken several years of the subject in the New York school system.  Plus, he reminds me, he is also somewhat fluent in Pig Latin!  I, on the other hand, have retained minimal & rudimentary high school French.  Pourriez-vous pour un peu de crème avec le café?  (or is it la café?) 

So, when hosting guests with whom English is a second language, we all rely on smiles and hand gestures . . . because that is something everybody, everywhere does in the same language. 

Heritage House B&B "Gently Used" Guest Soaps Continue to Help Clean Haiti

Gary & I are so incredibly proud to be a part of Clean the World's continuing efforts in Haiti.  Periodically, we mail our guests' gently used soaps down to Orlando where their unique sterilization process melts & mixes the soaps, which are then reshaped into soap bars to be distributed. 

Clean the World’s recent visits to Haiti have brought nearly 260,000 bars of soap to villages, schools, orphanages, medical clinics and tent cities there. Children from broken homes, many still nursing injuries and disease from the earthquake and recent cholera outbreak, are eager to receive more soap and supplies to help turn their lives around. 

Read more about Clean the World's Efforts:

http://blog.cleantheworld.org/2011/03/haiti-update-clean-hands-proper-hygiene.html

 

One Proud Aunt & Uncle: Joe Gosman Band Opens for Tonic at the Chesapeake Jubilee!

Download Drive Home

Download Let It Go

Gary & I are so proud of our awesome drummer nephew, John Ashley, and his rocking bandmates in the Joe Gosman Band. 

This past Saturday (and for the second year in a row), the Joe Gosman Band opened on the Main Stage for the Main Act at the Chesapeake Jubilee, named one of the top 20 events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society for May 2010.  They opened for the Grammy-nominated band from the 90s, Tonic ("If You Could Only See The Way She Loves Me . . . ") and last year they opened for the 80s band The Smithereens.  They are incredible live performers - high energy from front man Joe with all talented musicians.  In addition to their originals - my favorite songs are Drive Home and Let It Go, featuring some kickin' percussion by John - they played covers by Weezer, Matchbox 20, Gin Blossoms and The Doors.

To add to the excitement, the Joe Gosman Band launched their new professional CD, Empty Walls.   No doubt, Gary & I are a bit biased but John is so talented - folks in the audience waiting for Tonic were commenting on the amazing drummer!  (John's a natural - perfect rhythm since he was a toddler and started taking drum lessons as a young child.  In addition, he works in law enforcement.)

The Joe Gosman Band has a huge fan base in the Virginia Beach / Hampton Roads area and they are looking to spread out.  Gotta get them up here to Rappahannock County soon - I believe it's just a matter of time before they get signed. 

I'll End My Shameless Plug With This:  For more information, go to www.joegosman.com

Spring!

The Spring season here in Rappahannock County, Virginia is our favorite time of the year.  The mountains are turning a plush green.  Flowers and trees are budding.  Tulips, daffodils and crocus are blooming.  Birds are nesting.  What a glorious time to live here - and to visit!  Escape from the rat race and come see all we have to offer here in "Little" Washington.  Relax with a glass of wine on the guest clubhouse deck.  Take in the beautiful views and enjoy the warm soft breezes.  RELAX & RECONNECT.

Clean the World - Our Partner - Featured on CBS Evening News with Katie Couric

Heritage House B&B is the FIRST lodging establishment in Virginia to partner with Clean the World, an Orlando-based organization which processes our gently-used guest soaps and provides them to impoverished countries.  Clean the World was recently featured on CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.  See the clip:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/12/eveningnews/main5380413.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody

Heritage House B&B - Helping Save Lives One Guest at a Time

Saving Lives One Guest at a Time

Big-Hearted B&B in “Little” Washington First in Virginia to Partner with Clean the World

 

Washington, VA --- Heritage House, a small historic Bed & Breakfast in “Little” Washington is helping save lives while making the world a little cleaner and greener.  As the first Virginia lodging partner with Clean the World (a new non-profit foundation that recycles gently-used soap & shampoo donated by hotels and provides it to impoverished countries), Heritage House B&B is donating leftover amenities from their guest rooms that would otherwise end up in the local Rappahannock County landfill.  Instead, they will end up in the hands of some of the world’s neediest people who - according to the World Health Organization - tragically lose their young children to diarrheal and respiratory illnesses due to lack of basic hygiene & hand washing soap.

Heritage House B&B owners Gary & Michelle Schwartz are proud to be the first Virginia partner.  “Paul Till (Clean the World Co-Founder & Managing Director) didn’t announce that we were the first Virginia partner until after we signed the agreement.  It was a bit overwhelming because their partners in Florida are in the big hotel chains such as Hilton and Marriott.  It is such a privilege for us to play a small role in their admirable humanitarian efforts to save lives.”  Gary adds, “Our intent was simply to reduce waste going to the local landfill when we became a Virginia Green Lodging this past Spring but when we learned about this program and that it could save the lives of children in such a simple way through our guests, we jumped right on it.”

Clean the World, located in Orlando, Florida, collects the donated soaps, which are then  processed by the Central Care Mission, a men’s long-term residential center in Orlando.  At their factory, volunteers clean and sterilize the soap using a unique steaming process.  The soap is then packaged for distribution.  Recently, Clean the World delivered its first load of 2000 pounds of soap to the village of Cap Hatien in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.  “We are pleased that our first, major international delivery went directly to those that need it most,” said Clean the World Executive Director Shawn Seipler. 

With the donations provided by their lodging partners such as Heritage House B&B, Clean the World is a step closer to reaching their goal of preventing the millions of lives needlessly lost each year – and they’re doing it one bar of soap at a time.  For more information, contact Michelle Schwartz, Co-Owner, Heritage House B&B (heritagehousebb@comcast.net) or Peter Olsen, Communications Director, Clean the World Foundation (polsen@cleantheworld.org)

Heritage House B&B Featured as Virginia Wine Lover's Inn of the Month!

Gary & I are thrilled & honored that Heritage House B&B was featured as the Inn of the Month in the August online edition of Virginia Wine Lover e-Newsletter!  The quarterly Virginia Wine Lover Magazine is a "must" for Virginia wine afficianados and we highly recommend you consider a subscription, which also includes the monthly e-Newsletter highlighting all of the wine events for the month.

Following is an excerpt of Dan Ingraham's article which describes Heritage House B&B's location among the award-winning wineries of Rappahannock County:

"Driving through Rappahannock County feels something quite like time travel . . . back to the days when life was simpler, slower paced and more rural.  Vineyards and farms dot the rolling landscape nestled among the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.  Wine afficionados refer to this undeveloped area of Virginia as the East Coast Napa because of its tremendous number of award-winning wineries, upscale restaurants and Bed & Breakfasts, all less than 2-hour drives from Northern Virginia, Charlottesville and Richmond.   

"Little" Washington, the county seat, with its 2x5 street grid platted by 17-year-old surveyor George Washington is the largest of Rappahannock's quaint villages. . ."

Our Efforts to Preserve the Environment for Future Generations

"Gary & I are committed to preserving the environment for future generations.

We hope to leave this world a little better than we found it."
 

                                              

With concern for the environment in mind, we have recently completed the application process and received approval for membership into the Virginia Dept. of Environmental Quality’s Virginia Green program.

Virginia Green promotes environmentally-friendly practices in the hospitality & lodging sector.  The program provides guidance and resources on pollution prevention techniques that have been used in the hospitality industry and proven to benefit the environment without compromising guest service. 

 

These are just some of the ways we have tried to reduce Heritage House B&B’s impact on the environment while still providing exceptional service to our guests:

 

With a commitment to waste reduction and recycling, we have routinely donated our used towels & other disposable items to local organizations such as the no-kill dog shelter, R.A.W.L.  (http://www.rawldogs.org), and the Rappahannock Senior Center since 2002.

 

Since 2004, Heritage House B&B has been a member of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Adopt-A-Highway program, in which we pick-up litter on Hwy 211 Business. 

 

With a commitment to energy and water conservation, we have been using compact fluorescent light bulbs in our public rooms for several years and, also in 2004, purchased an energy efficient front loader washing machine that dramatically reduced water consumption. 

To visit our Virginia Green Lodging listing and learn what additional practices we have put in place here at the Heritage House B&B, please visit http://www.deq.virginia.gov/export/sites/default/p2/virginiagreen/pdf/heritage_house.pdf

Have a Wonderful 2009!

Our best wishes to all of our past & prospective guests for a very happy 2009 filled with health, happiness & prosperity.

We want to thank all of you who stayed with us in 2008. You certainly stimulated the economy in "Little" Washington - and for that we are grateful!

Sincerely,

Gary & Michelle