[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 96 (Wednesday, June 11, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S5521]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING HONOR GROUNDS LLC

 Ms. SNOWE. Madam President, today I celebrate an inventive 
Maine small business that is helping to support our country's National 
Guard and Reservist families. Honor Grounds LLC distributes its own 
brand of high-quality coffee to convenience stores and supermarkets, 
and a portion of the sales go to helping some of our country's most 
deserving citizens.
  Honor Grounds LLC is an enormously innovative project of Dan 
Boudreau, who is a longtime coffee distributor, as well as Catherine 
and John Salterio, principals at Consolidated Services, a beverage 
distribution consulting firm in Minot. Several years ago, Mr. Boudreau, 
who is a Maine Army National Guard veteran himself, sought a unique 
avenue to give back to the Guard. Mr. Boudreau, together with the 
Salterios, developed a program to sell specially packaged Honor Grounds 
coffee and to donate some of the profits to assist military families.
  They launched the company earlier this year and report that retailers 
have demonstrated immense support for the initiative. In fact, 
Hannaford Brothers, one of the supermarket chains participating in the 
program, generously waived its usual stocking fee for Honor Grounds in 
recognition of the program's significance. They offer three military-
themed flavors of coffee--Reveille Dark, Five Star Joe, and D-Day 
Decaf.
  All donated proceeds from Honor Grounds go specifically to The 
Patriot Fund, which was designed to concentrate money in the hands of 
groups that aid America's military personnel and their families. 
Already, Honor Grounds has succeeded in funding several organizations 
nationwide, including the Maine Department of Veterans Affairs, as well 
as Tee It Up For The Troops, a golf fundraising nonprofit that supports 
the families of disabled and fallen servicemembers.
  Honor Grounds coffee consists of choice 100 percent roasted Arabica 
beans, which translates to an exceptional cup of coffee. But more 
notably, each bag of Honor Grounds coffee includes the story of a 
member of the National Guard or Reserves. Each biography details the 
life of one of our Nation's defenders, the heroes among us. More than 
just a nice touch, these narratives provide a link between soldier and 
civilian, which makes the purchase of Honor Grounds coffee all the more 
meaningful.
  To expand the scope of its reach, supplement its retail sales, and 
ultimately generate more funds for the Nation's military families, 
Honor Grounds recently implemented a fundraising partnership program. 
Schools, veterans and civic organizations, as well as other groups sell 
Honor Grounds coffee with their association's logo on the box, thereby 
promoting both the group and Honor Grounds. Notably, Honor Grounds 
donates an extra $1.50 to that club's home State military families for 
each box sold.
  Honor Grounds is not only a patriotic small business, but it also 
represents a truly creative approach to bolstering our Nation's support 
of those who serve. With the motto of ``Helping Military Members and 
Their Families, One Cup at a Time,'' Honor Grounds is seeking to 
reinvigorate the gratitude our country's finest citizens have earned. I 
thank Mr. Boudreau and the Salterios for their selfless efforts, and 
wish them continued success in their magnificent achievement.

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