This truly restores my faith in people!! What a great gift!!Trudy On Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 9:00 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] < [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > > > The Benefactor of the Ball > Va. Man Spends $1 Million on Inaugural Package for Disadvantaged > By Michael E. Ruane > Washington Post Staff Writer > Thursday, December 4, 2008; A01 > > It was billed as the biggest, most eye-popping of the inauguration hotel > packages: the JW Marriott's $1 million "build-your-own-ball" offer. You get > 300 rooms, four suites, $200,000 worth of food and drink, and a primo site > overlooking the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route. > > And it was snapped up within hours of Barack Obama's election as president > by a customer the hotel declined to identify. > > This morning, the Marriott is scheduled to announce that the buyer is a > Virginia businessman who wants to bring to the inauguration disadvantaged > people, terminally ill patients, wounded soldiers and others down on their > luck. > > Earl W. Stafford, 60, of Fairfax County, the founder of a Centreville > technology company who grew up as one of 12 children of a Baptist minister, > said he will provide his guests lodging, food and special access, as well as > beauticians, gowns and tuxedos, if necessary. > > Stafford has paid the $1 million, a spokesman said, and is prepared to > spend $600,000 more for a breakfast, a luncheon and two balls at the hotel. > Stafford said he hopes to recoup some of the $600,000 from other sponsors, > yet to be recruited. > > "We wanted to . . . bless those who otherwise wouldn't have an opportunity > to be a part of the great celebration, the inauguration and the > festivities," he said in an interview yesterday. "Our objective is to bring > in a cross-section of society -- those who are distressed, those who are > terminally ill, those who are socially and economically disadvantaged, those > veterans who are wounded and served our country." > > Stafford said the idea was inspired by his deep religious faith and the > good fortune that has come his way. The inauguration is an opportunity to > remember the less fortunate and remind the country of its traditions of > benevolence, he said. > >
