WASHINGTON — The pandemic forced so many friends and families to stay apart. But now that restrictions are finally easing, One Bethesda restaurant is working to make sure the reunions are unforgettable.
Medium Rare held a contest. They asked participants to tell them how COVID had kept them separated from their moms and loved ones.
The company chose three participants with the most compelling stories and gave them an all-expenses-paid trip to DC to reunite with their loved ones.
Susan Boyle and Amy Troutmiller were one of the winning groups. Boyle lives in Chicago. Troutmiller calls the D.C. area home.
COVID restrictions kept them apart for over a year, but as those restrictions loosened, Mark Bucher's Medium Rare Restaurant Group decided if there was ever a time to go all-out for Mother's Day, 2021 was it.
"Moms have been the frontline warriors of the last year," said Bucher. "They've been teaching their kids, they've been making sure everyone's fed, they've been worrying ... so we're celebrating moms today for just keeping us all together over the last year."
"It's such an amazing surprise," said Boyle.
The long hug they shared when they finally reunited said it all.
"Oh my gosh you're here," said Troutmiller as they embraced.
Medium Rare also worked to help other moms this Mother's Day.
While many families will spend the day around the dining table celebrating the moms in their life over food, others are struggling to secure their next meal.
The company says it's been distributing meals to those battling hunger throughout the pandemic, but for Mother's Day, it wanted to do something special.
Thanks to a team effort from sponsors and volunteers, Bucher says the group distributed 1,200 boxed brunches to moms and grandmothers in need on Mother's Day.
"The hunger doesn't go away," said Bucher. "Although we're starting to feel better and we're all starting to get out, there's still a lot of people that can't get out and don't have access to food. So it's part of what we've been doing over the past year ... making sure that we can get meals to those who ... are hungry."