Veteran’s Day and Remembrance Day: a Special Time to Honor Veterans

*** FROM CORPORATE ***

(but we couldn’t help pass it along!) 

Every November 11, people in the United States and Canada take time to honor their country’s military heroes and Veterans. In the U.S., it’s Veterans’ Day and in Canada, Remembrance Day to acknowledge the unpayable debt to all who serve in the Armed Forces, past and present.

Veterans Day and Remembrance Day

Celebrations abound in private homes, local communities and on the national stage with speeches, flag ceremonies, parades, picnics and fireworks. It’s a bittersweet time, mindful of the service and sacrifices of our military at home and abroad, while at the same time celebrating the way of life we enjoy because of those sacrifices.

Budget Blinds honors veterans all year long

Honoring veterans is a core value at Budget Blinds®, as shared by our Chief Executive Officer, Shirin Behzadi: “At Budget Blinds, we share a strong commitment to supporting veterans who have served our country. Many of our franchisees across the country are veterans or have personal connections to the U.S. Armed Forces, so we feel extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to give back to these true American heroes when and where we can.” This giving back takes several forms, including support of community service programs and career assistance.

In Canada, the partnership with Wounded Warriors Canada (WWC) focuses on supporting Canada’s ill and injured Canadian Armed Forces members, veterans and their families. The mission of Wounded Warriors Canada, to Honour the Fallen, Help the Living, is realized through supporting and funding programs and services that physically and emotionally assist and support veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other casualties of war. Together with our manufacturing partner, Springs Window Fashions® who produces our exclusive line of Signature Series® window coverings, Budget Blinds has made two $15,000 donations to WWC in the past two years.

How WWC help Veterans

U.S. veteran support efforts include placing window blinds into specially adapted homes for severely wounded Veterans through partnership with Homes for Our Troops (HFOT).  Springs Window Fashions supplies Signature Series faux wood blinds and supports the Budget Blinds’ commitment of donating $1 million to HFOT over a three-year period, which consists of a combination of product, services and cash donations. To date, two annual donations of $50,000 have been made and window blinds have been installed in almost 70 homes across the country by local Budget Blinds franchise owners, enabling the Veterans and their families to focus on recovery and rebuilding their lives.

Inside the Veterans home

The newest Budget Blinds partnership in support of Veterans is Designing Spaces’ Military Makeover airing on Lifetime® Television and by year end we’ll have participated in the renovation of four homes for deserving Veterans. Custom window coverings from our exclusive Enlightened Styles® product line are supplied to meet each family’s needs for energy efficiency, child-safe cordless operation and complete light and privacy control. For each show, the local Budget Blinds franchise owner gives their time to consult with the family and professionally install the blinds, shades or shutters of their choice. On each show, Tracy Christman, Vice President of Vendor Alliance at Budget Blinds, talks with hosts Art Edmonds and “Gunny,” retired U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant R. Lee Ermey, about the benefits of having the right window coverings.

Tracy talking with Art about the blinds

Helping Veterans build businesses

Another way to honor Veterans is by offering substantial discounts to qualified veterans who purchase a franchise business with Budget Blinds or one of its sister companies, Tailored Living or Concrete Craft, all thriving franchise brands of Home Franchise Concepts (HFC).  HFC choses to honor and say thank you to U.S. and Canadian Veterans in a tangible way by helping them build secure financial futures through ownership of a low-cost, home-based franchise, scalable to the way they live and the needs of their family.

Retired Marine Corps, Ed Burns, now a proud franchise owner of Budget Blinds serving Costa Mesa, shares: “You have so much responsibility in the military; it’s really nice to be just responsible for yourself. I love it. I love being my own boss [with Budget Blinds]. I love the service we’re providing.”

Budget Blinds has been ranked "best for vets"

To find out more about franchise business opportunities for Veterans, go to Home Franchise Concepts/Veterans.

Check out the Giving Back section on our website to read more about how Budget Blinds supports veterans:

If you’ve been shopping for new window coverings and are hopelessly confused, save yourself and call Budget Blinds! We’re the experts with blinds, shutters, window shades, drapes, curtains, decorative window film and more, including energy efficiency, child safety and smart home technology for remote control window coverings. Call 651-351-7620 today, or go online to www.budgetblinds.com  to find the Budget Blinds Style Consultant nearest you and schedule your free, in-home consultation.

2016 TRENDS – have you tried them?

– This year, we watched as Budget Blinds predicted and described the upcoming trends and styles for 2016 (and we have LOVED them btw!) Looking back, we want to know… have you seen these styles this year? And if so, have you dared to be bold and try them in your life? What about in your home?

 

Here are the trends predicted by Budget Blinds:

” Trend: ROMANTIQUE
Pale pink becomes a power color and takes center stage as one of two hues chosen by Pantone as Color of the Year. Large-scale blooms and botanicals bring nature inside. Gray reigns as a classic complement to lighter, chalkier hues. Metals, woods, glass, and ceramics bring textural interest and keep pastel rooms from becoming too cutesy.
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Trend: MODERN GEOMETRY
Bold patterns and shapes executed in a brighter palette are anything but staid. The look is eclectic, with artisanal patterns and geometric shapes clashing—in a good way. Black and white temper the riot of colors and help anchor the space.
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Trend: GLOBAL ARTISTRY

Inspired by travel and adventure, the trend is a modern take on global patterns, fabrics, and crafts. It’s all in the mix. Embroidery, caning, animal
hides, even macramé, give a handcrafted, organic feel to accessories. Soft pastels contrast with deep blues and grays. Ethnic accents complete the look.

Trend: MASCULINE MÉLANGE
Black continues to be a strong color preference for walls, windows, and metal accents. Vintage details add a timeless quality. Rustic woods contrast with classic shapes in furnishings. Leather, copper, wire, and natural elements give texture and shine throughout a room.
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Trend: PATINA LUXE
Texture and shine take center stage, with jewel-like accents amping up the glamour. Now more than ever, vintage shapes executed in modern materials look new and fresh. Velvets, linens, and leathers provide the all-important contrast of matte and gloss for a sophisticated overall look.”
Let’s elevate the style of YOUR home with trying some of these ultra modern trends! They can all be implemented so easily – and quickly too! Let’s get in touch and talk style with your FREE in-home design consultation! We should get started before the seasons start, it is effortless and I promise its fun! 🙂
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