DENVER, July 15, 2006
Mom Gets Long Overdue 'Vacation'
Denver's Jo Stevens Headed To South Carolina Resort
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Play CBS Video Video Denver 'Vacation' Recipient Only On The Web: Dave Price went to Denver to surprise Jo Stevens with a "Great American Vacation."
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Video Busy Grandmother Gets Vacation Jo Stevens is a busy mother and grandmother who takes little time for herself. But thanks to the "Great American Vacation," she is taking some time off to go to South Carolina's coast.
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Video Price Rafts His Way To Denver As Dave Price makes his way to Denver as part of the "Great American Vacation" series, the weatherman decided to do some rafting on his first stop in Colorado.
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The Early Show about her deserving mom."/> Jo Stevens, left, of Denver, reacts as Dave Price surprises her with a "Great American Vacation" getaway to Kiawah Island, S.C. Stevens' daughter, Toya Daugenbaugh, right, wrote to The Early Show about her deserving mom. (CBS/The Early Show)
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Photos "Vacation" Photos See the places we've been and the people we've met during The Early Show's "Great American Vacation" tour.
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Video Archive 'Vacation' Video The Early Show's "Great American Vacation" recipients and stories from our road trip
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The Early Show 2006 Road Trip! We traveled the country giving away dream vacations! See where we've been and who got surprise getaways.
There are many people deserving of a special surprise for all they do, but a letter to the The Early Show from Toya Daugenbaugh about her mother, Jo Stevens, was especially touching.
In front of the large crowd gathered at Denver's Civic Center Park for the vacation giveaway, Dave Price read an excerpt of the letter:
"My mother is nearly 56 years old and has never had a real vacation … never flown to another city, stayed in a hotel, checked out the local hotspots, gambled at a casino, eaten in a fancy restaurant or gotten dressed up for a show.
"My mom married young and immediately started our family. She sacrificed a lot of her own and did whatever was needed for our family.
"My father passed away six years ago and my mother has been on her own since. She has a house that she loves, a good job that covers the bills and a lot of good friends, but she's never had the opportunity to travel anywhere."
Stevens, surrounded by her family said the trip in her honor was a "total surprise."
Dave Price talks with unsuspecting vacation recipient Jo Stevens"They are always doing stuff like this," she said. "You often wonder what they think, and sometimes you don't want to know … but this is good."
For all that she does for others, Stevens can look forward to five days and four nights at the beautiful Sanctuary At Kiawah Island on the South Carolina coast.
During her stay she'll receive breakfast every day, a special oyster roast and barbecue, 10 miles of beautiful beachfront, and a day of special pampering at the Sanctuary's world-class spa.
Airfare is courtesy of our "Great American Vacation" travel partner, American Airlines.
"What we've tried to do at each stop is highlight Americans who are really deserving and you are deserving because this letter so typified so many people out there who just work hard and sacrifice everything for their families," Price said.
July 19: Austin | July 21: Waco
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 vacation@cbsnews.comWho knows ... maybe we'll send them packing.
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