As Washington gears up for January's presidential inauguration, tickets to the evening's festivities are going for hundreds of dollars, and the city's remaining hotel rooms are astronomical. Even basements and couches miles from the National Mall are going for a premium on Craigslist. But one of the most attractive inauguration packages out there - including high-end hotel rooms and luxury suites, food and drink, a (heated) viewing spot right above the parade route, even gowns and tuxedos to wear to celebratory balls, and a beautician to help you get ready for it - is going for the most eye-popping price of all: absolutely nothing.
Virginia businessman and philanthropist Earl Stafford has spent $1 million to give hundreds of poverty-stricken and terminally ill Americans, along with wounded men and women in uniform, an inauguration experience that would ordinarily run each of them thousands of dollars. Mr. Stafford is a devout Christian who made millions at the helm of a defense technology firm said the $1 million will finance the use of 300 hotel rooms, four hotel suites, a ballroom and meals for all the invited guests, as well as a coveted parade-viewing venue smack on the route of the procession. The events will take place in the J W Marriott Washington, D.C. hotel, located between the Capitol and the White House where he rented a bloc of inauguration week rooms just hours after the election. He is hoping to raise roughly the same amount from sponsors. For now, the money is coming from his family's non-profit foundation, the Stafford Foundation.
Events will include a prayer breakfast on the day preceding the inauguration; a luncheon that same day invoking the memory of civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr; and tickets to the "People's Inaugural Ball" on the evening of January 20, as well as to an "Inaugural Youth Ball."
Mr. Stafford said, "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. 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.We’ve gotten away from those core values that made America great," he said. "We just need to get back to caring about one another."
Mr. Stafford has been planning the effort since the primary season. He said he decided the inauguration would be a transition in history, and everyone should be included. Stafford calls it “The People's Inaugural Project” and it offers the underprivileged in our society an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come to our nation's capital and join in the historic inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama. He looks at it as an opportunity to bring Americans of every walk of life together for a momentous celebration. And the greatest part of the story is that Mr. Stafford didn't release that he was the one doing this. It was the Hotel. No self adulation, just trying to do something for those less fortunate. The Stafford Foundation is a private foundation committed to helping underserved, marginalized and distressed individuals.
What a wonderful gesture. This is about inspiring people. In this current environment where we see how many people are ripping off other people and keeping millions for themselves, it is so nice to know there are still good people in this world. May God bless you for being so kind to people who need some kindness in this world. What goes around comes around. Mr. Stafford and his family are fine examples of people who obviously live according to the Word of God….”I have blessed you to be a blessing… The more you give, the more He gives to you.” My hats off to you Earl Stafford! You are an example of great humankind. May God continue to bless Earl Stafford and his family.
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