Birthday Girl Gets Hawaiian 'Vacation'

'Great American Vacation' Awardee From Cape Girardeau, Mo.

(CBS)  If you live outside of Missouri, you may not be familiar with Cape Girardeau. It's on the banks of the Mississippi River and is located about 100 miles south of St. Louis.

The city is home to Rush Limbaugh and the The Early Show's latest "Great American Vacation" recipient.

Sheila Irvin wrote to The Early Show to tell us about someone in need of and deserving of a "Great American Vacation" -- her sister, Eva Braughn.

In her letter, Irvin described Braughn, as a hard worker and a busy mom and wife of a deployed soldier.

Braughn and her husband, James, who has been in Iraq since August, have been married 21 years and have two daughters, Courtney, 16, and Caitlin, 8.

To top it all off, it is also Braughn's birthday.

Braughn and her family are headed to Hawaii to spend five days and six nights at the fabulous Turtle Bay Resort on the island of Oahu.

The resort includes 800 acres of beaches and activities for the entire family to enjoy, like swimming the Pacific Ocean, hiking in a rain forest or just relaxing in their deluxe ocean-front room.

Braugh says she has never been to Hawaii and is looking forward to the family trip. James Braughn is serving with the 414th Military Police Company based in Joplin, Mo., and is scheduled to return home at the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Braughn has been busy keeping down the fort at home.

"It's difficult to be a single parent. It really is. You don't realize how much you rely on the second person," Braughn said.

Thanks to American Airlines for providing all of the domestic flights for our "Great American Vacations."

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On Friday, June 16, one of two Early Show Winnebagos that are crossing the country pulls into Quincy, Ill., to surprise another deserving viewer with a "Great American Vacation."

Check out our map: If you live in one if the cities we're visiting, tell us about the one thing we just have to see and about someone there who's deserving of a "Great American Vacation."

E-mail us at [e-mail]


Who knows ... maybe we'll send them packing!