Mom Gets Long Overdue 'Vacation'
The Early Show's "Great American Vacation" Winnebago tour continued with a stop in the mile-high city of Denver on Friday to give away another fabulous getaway.
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."
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.com
Who knows ... maybe we'll send them packing.