Cincinnati hotel sets aside free rooms especially for hurricane evacuees
Out of the harm of recent hurricanes down south, an unexpected helping hand has reached some displaced families.
Some of them checked in at the Ramada Plaza Cincinnati in Sharonville this afternoon in grateful disbelief.
The hotel set aside 30 rooms for hurricane victims, complimentary for up to 10 days.
Families who got out ahead of the storm and found their way to Greater Cincinnati were thunderstruck by the gesture.
Walter Dehmel of north Ft. Myers said he would have never expected such a thing to occur.
He expressed appreciation and turned his thoughts towards home.
"Trees are down and we were about 20 miles away from 140 mph winds. So, we hope we find our place back when we get there," Dehmel said.
The idea of the free rooms started as the Ramada team scrolled through news feeds and noticed how many local families were affected and needed a place.
They decided on no charge.
"You know, it makes us feel part of the community," Nidhi Bedi, managing partner at Ramada Plaza, said. "There's nothing better that we can do than open up our homes to these guests."
Bedi said the staff there had been following the hurricane impact very closely and wanted to do something that would help in some way.
So, the 237-room hotel has designated 30 rooms with double beds for those displaced by the hurricane. According to their press release, "With a Florida or Texas driver's license or valid state identification card, displaced families will receive a complimentary hotel room for up to 10 days."
We watched a couple from Deltona, Florida check in, telling us, "Oh, it's wonderful. Thank you much."
Pausing for some water around a table this afternoon, the Dehmel's told us they heard about Ramada's offer from their son-in-law, never dreaming something like that would happen.
Born in Germany, they survived the war and Hitler, and came to America with a sense of belonging.
That sense deepened further today.
"We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your generosity, your kindness," said Trudy Dehmel, choking back tears.
In addition to the complimentary rooms, Splash Cincinnati Indoor Waterpark will send 100-percent of its proceeds from admission passes through Sept. 21 to Florida to help with the rebuild.