The Canadian mission in Afghanistan has been a long and arduous affair, especially for the brave Canadian soldiers stationed there and for their families anxiously waiting at home. For Kingston area residents, Canadian soldiers and their families have always been a highly visible and valuable part of their community. With both the Canadian Forces Base Kingston and the Royal Military College in close proximity to their town, for Kingston residents, the Canadian mission in Afghanistan is perhaps a little closer to home than for other Canadians.

Cognisant of the tremendous sacrifices being made by military families, the owners of select historic bed and breakfast inns are showing their appreciation in a small yet meaningful way. As a way of demonstrating their support for our troops, some Ontario inns are giving away complimentary gift certificates to Canadian Force Based (CFB) Kingston service personnel serving away from their families in dangerous war-torn Afghanistan. With these gift certificates, troops and their spouses are able to relax and bond during a romantic stay at the inn.

These Ontario inns are giving the CFB Kingston Family Support Organization a complimentary gift certificate to honour the sacrifices the military troops have made. The base support group will then offer this gift to a deserving military couple, chosen by the association, who is either returning or departing on a military tour in Afghanistan or any other country far from their families and friends. A romantic stay at an inn is warmly welcomed by the couple either to help say good bye to their partner or to welcome them home on return from an extended tour of duty. The much needed support of families, friends, and home communities is an integral part of Canada's peacemaking efforts overseas. By donating complimentary inn gift certificates to the CFB Kingston Family Support Group, the inn owners and staff wish to honour Canada's troops and support them in this small yet meaningful way.

By taking small steps and reaching out to support Canadian troops at the Kandahar base and in Afghanistan, Ontario inns are able to demonstrate how, with a little bit of imagination, any individual or small business can make a difference in someone else's life. For a few military families, a complimentary stay at a luxury Canadian bed & breakfast inn may be exactly what they need in a time of great physical and emotional upheaval. It may give them the chance that they might not otherwise have had to create some fond memories that will last for a very long time.