Veterans Day Fishing Trip

Group Photo, (from left to right): Howard Appleby, Capt. Bouncer, James Elston, Capt. Springer, Capt. Castelano, Steven Hill, Pedro of Ashley Live Bait, Billy Phinizy, Juan Bermudez, Capt. Cooper, Capt. Dieterle and Jalil Pulgarin.

On Veterans Day, Hope For The Warriors^® was excited to work with Outdoor Adventure Conservation Fund to be able to send five veterans on a fishing trip out of Miami Beach Marina. Trips like these provide service members the chance to embrace an outdoor lifestyle while providing therapeutic benefits that extend to their families as well. Hope For The Warriors^® Outdoor Adventures Program provides adaptive opportunities for wounded service members, who previously embraced an outdoorsman lifestyle, as well as those new to traditional outdoor sports, to participate in sporting activities in the great outdoors on their road to recovery. 

Veteran Jalil Pulgarin (R) and his cousin, Juan Bermudez, waiting to hit the water.

Veterans Billy Phinizy (L) and Steven Hill (middle)

along with the captain’s mate onboard the Cutting Edge

 ready to go fishing.

“This was an amazing day—one I will never forget and the fact that it was Veterans Day guarantees that it will be a locked memory for as long as I can remember,” stated Veteran Steven Hill. “I was able to scratch #8 off my bucket list, catch a Sailfish.” 

Billy Phinizy’s wife, Lauren, said, “My husband is still beaming ear to ear from the trip. I am so happy that he was given this opportunity.”

Veterans Howard Apply (L) and James Elton (R) 

show off a cobia with help from Capt. Billy Springer. 

They fished on the Dusky, piloted by Capt. Bouncer Smith.

Hope For The Warriors^®  would like to thank the Outdoor Adventure Conservation Fund, Outdoor Adventure Dream Giveaway, Sue Singer, Matt Johnson of Monty's Restaurant, Hampton Inn, Chris Chaffin of the Outdoor Adventure Conservation Fund, and the following captains: Capt. Randolph "Bouncer" Smith, Captains Alex Castelano and Quenton Dieterle, Billy Springer, and Jon Cooper. It was a true community effort of Miami area businesses to make this trip such a successful event for our veterans opportunity.

Veteran Steven Hill proudly holds one of the nice dolphin

 he caught on aboard the Cutting Edge, with Capt. Alex Castelano.

Be sure to follow on Facebook to learn more and sign up for our newsletter. 

To help fund programs like the one mentioned above Donate Today!   

Happy Thanksgiving to Those Celebrating While Serving!

As families and friends gather together to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, let us us all be reminded that not all who celebrate are at home with loved ones. 







As you give thanks today, please be reminded of all the blessings you have because of the sacrifices made by our service members. 


This article puts that reality into perspective. 





On this holiday dedicated to gratitude, we say THANK YOU and Happy Thanksgiving to our service members worldwide!

Paralympic Coach Gains New Wheels from HOPE

Handcyclists at the start of the Long Island Run For The Warriors

As Sergeant Major Kevin Bittenbender and his eight comrades—all on handcycles—started the Long Island Run For The Warriors® 10K, the streets were lined with thousands of grateful Americans who stood cheering as they thanked the service members for their sacrifices. About 30 minutes after the race started, the first of this group began to reach the finish line. Each of the nine service members who received a handcycle carries a unique story of service, athleticism, patriotism, and perseverance: here is just one inspiring story of many.

Military Service

Kevin, from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, enlisted with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 1985. Throughout his time of service he has been deployed three times for Operation Enduring Freedom: once to Europe and twice to Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, Kevin was involved in nation building as he assisted, trained, and advised many units. Currently, he serves as a Senior Intelligence Sergeant (G2) with the 28^th Infantry Division. Beyond his military career Kevin has a passion for sports and is dedicated to volunteerism.

Volunteer Service

In 1985, Kevin began to represent the Pennsylvania Army National Guard as a Winter Biathlon athlete and was ranked in the top 50 of the sport by the US Biathlon Association. He has also won numerous awards and has come in first place in many marksmanship competitions. In 2010 Kevin took his talent, years of training, and expert knowledge and became the U.S. Paralympics Biathlon/Nordic Shooting Coach. He volunteers his time coaching and traveling with the team, offering his skill to serve others.

Beyond his involvement in the Paralympics, Kevin continues to spend his time giving back to the community and volunteering with many different organizations. For the past two years, he has organized the Freedom Bike Ride, which takes place in Lewisburg, PA. The cyclists, including handcyclists too, ride 200-miles over four days starting in Washington, D.C., and finishing in Lewisburg, PA as they lead the county’s annual 4th of July parade. Kevin also volunteers with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and coaches many soccer teams. His altruistic attitude serves as an example for his local community and is inspiration for all who know his story.

As members of the Long Island community lined the finish of The Long Island Run For The Warriors® a tiny blur of a handcyclist crest the horizon. The cheers of the crowd grew louder as this first handcyclist approached. Being true to his athletic nature, Kevin was that first handcyclist. He was met by the warm applause of his fellow Americans who stood in awe of his perseverance and strength.

Thank you to Island Federal Credit Union and Angel Bikes for donating the nine handcycles for our warriors.  Thank you to the Long Island community for your amazing support!

The 2015 Run For The Warriors race schedule will soon be announced.  Be sure to follow on Facebook to learn more and sign up for our newsletter.

Donate Today!

Hope For The Warriors® Makes List of Top Veteran Charities

We are very excited to announce that we have made CNBC's list of Top 10 Charities that Support Veterans. The list is based in part on Charity Navigator's rankings for each charity's financial health, accountability, and the transparency of reporting. 

According to the article, Hope For The Warriors® stands out for aiding "military families as they transition into civilian life."

We are thrilled to be recognized amongst such an incredible group of nonprofits. We are exceptionally proud to be this group's representative of support to the entire military family. Please read CNBC's full list to find out more information: http://www.cnbc.com/id/102183350. 

The link has already been shared on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn so please do your part to spread the good news! 

#tbt Long Island Run For The Warriors® 2012

This Sunday is the 7th Annual Long Island Run For The Warriors® in Lindenhurst, Long Island. This photo is from the 2012 race and features two ReWalkers, who participated in the Spinal Cord Damage Research Center at the James J Peters VA Medical Center in Bronx, NY. The ReWalk is a robot-assisted exoskeleton and permits a person with motor-complete paraplegia to stand, walk over ground, and ascend/descend stairs. It was an emotional experience for everyone in the community to be part of.

For more information on the Run, visit the official race site. We hope you all will join us!