Couples that Run Together, Stay Together

There are many reasons to run--physical fitness, weight loss, stress reliever, and more. And for one couple that is close to Hope For The Warriors®, running has introduced them to their future spouse.

Loni and Greg met when they each joined Team Hope For The Warriors® to run the ING New York City Marathon.  Through the Team and their shared dedication to supporting the military, they quickly became friends and started dating.

Beyond the Team, Loni and Greg have supported Hope For The Warriors® through other fundraising avenues and volunteer work.  They have become significant friends to our organization and to our military families.

Last month, they married!  The entire Hope For The Warriors® staff wishes them well!

As in past years, we have race bibs available for the ING New York City Marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon and more.  We cannot promise that you will meet your future spouse but we can promise that joining the Team will go far in supporting our military families.

Read more about the Team and register for a race today!

FDNY Southern Rumble

4 motorcycles, 5,000+ miles, 15 cities, 2 weeks, $20,000.  All for one cause.

On August 9, four members of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) will kick off a 2-week, 15-city, motorcycle ride in their effort to raise funds and awareness for Hope For The Warriors®.  The group has set a goal to raise $20,000 through fundraising events throughout the summer.

The group includes four men who are avid bikers, but more importantly, four men that are determined to serve within their communities and country.  They include:

John Finnerty--Firefighter Ladder 29, Rides a Harley Fat Boy

Kevin McEntyre--Firefighter, Special Operations Command, Retired, 9/11 First Responder, Rides a Harley Road Glide

Jason Puser--Firefighter Ladder 29, Rides a Harley Street Glide

Chris Walsh--Firefighter Ladder 17, 9/11 First Responder, USMC Iraqi War Vet, Rides a Harley Street Glide

First Visit to Medical Center

Chris shares the reason he focuses time and energy on raising funds for the wounded. After he returned from Iraq and was discharged, he and fellow fire fighters traveled to Washington, D.C. to visit wounded service members in the medical centers.  As he spoke with the wounded, he listened to their stories, and learned what had happened to each of them.

He was speaking with a young Marine who had lost one of his legs in Iraq.  As this man shared the story of how he was injured, Chris realized that he knew exactly where this man had been hurt.

“The streets that I had been driving down (while in Iraq) were the same streets these guys were getting getting hit by IEDs.  I was just lucky.”

That discovery gave Chris another reason to focus on helping these wounded service members.  In spite of his busy schedule, he knows that it could have been him wounded and in rehabilitation at the hospital.

Jason, John, Kevin and Chris have all served many years within their local communities.  As firefighters, they understand first hand the importance of service within the community and our country.

 

Travel Support

The group seeks donations and support along the way for the trip.  The more donations they receive in hotel rooms, lodging, meals and gas cards, the more that goes directly to Hope For The Warriors®.  Their goal is for all of the funds to be donated directly to Hope For The Warriors®.  The full route can be seen at www.hopeforthewarriors.org/fdnyrumblers.  Stops include:

Ashville, NC; Nashville, TN; Memphis, TN; Dallas, TX; Austin, TX; (Day trip to San Antonio, TX); New Orleans, LA; Montgomery, AL; Gainesville, FL; Sarasota, FL; Key West, FL; Daytona, FL; Fayetteville, NC; and Bethesda, MD. 

Walter Reed Family BBQ

The last stop before they return to New York City will be in Washington, D.C.  The group is joining Hope For The Warriors® for a BBQ at Walter Reed Military Medical Center.  The BBQ will be open to service members and their families undergoing rehabilitation at the medical facility. 

All of the guys are excited and grateful for the opportunity to visit with these American heroes.  They are also thankful for the opportunity to tour the country, highlighting the important work that has been done by Hope For The Warriors® and the work that still needs to be done to restore self, family and hope for wounded service members and military families.

 

Second Year

This is the second year of the rumble.  Last year’s was called “Rumble to the Rockies” and five men rode west into the Rocky Mountains.  The group raised more than $18,000 and like this year, ended the two week road trip with a BBQ at Walter Reed Military Medical Center.  This year the men are excited to travel a new route with new people to listen to their message.

To learn more or donate, visit www.hopeforthewarriors.org/fdnyrumblers. 

Shawdust: A Wish Granted

In April, we shared with many of our supporters the Wish from David Shaw, a veteran who Wished for tools to support the growth of his woodworking business.  (We also posted the story here in June.)

Woodworking became a way to take his mind off his physical pain and instead focus on the beautiful pieces he could create.  His work also became a way for him to support his young, growing family.

Hope For The Warriors® is excited to share that we have granted this Wish!  Earlier this month, volunteers and staff members joined David and his family as the tools were delivered. 

Thank you to those that donated to make this Wish possible.  By supporting this Wish, you support the future of this veteran and his family.  Thank you for joining in our mission to restore self, family and hope.

Adaptive Help for Enthusiastic Hunters

Mark Kayser with a military family

Hope For TheWarriors® aims to restore self, family and hope to wounded service members and military families.  For some service members, that means a return to the golf course or a handcycle that allows them to compete in marathons.  For others, it is a return to the outdoor sports such as hunting and fishing. 

Today I share a blog written by Mark Kayser, Hope For The Warriors® national spokesman for the Outdoor Adventures Program.  Returning service members to the outdoors sometimes requires new, adaptive equipment.  Mark’s blog highlights several options for service members, depending on the disability.  Read Mark’s blog here.

Thank you to Mark for highlighting this important information.

Run Director Invites Families to Race

Mona and her family complete the Houston Marathon

(Letter to the Editor printed this week in the New Bern Sun Journal.)

As the Run For The Warriors® Director for Hope For The Warriors®, I have the privilege of traveling all over the country to host road races as a part of the Run For The Warriors® race series.  In July, I am delighted to bring the run to my own backyard. New Bern is a special place for my family. My husband and I have often chosen to spend his pre- and post- deployment leave in this charming Coastal Carolina town. We enjoy visiting this progressive town with a rich history.

Run For The Warriors® unites military and civilian community members, connecting and educating each on the importance of embracing their neighbors. The goal of each event is to establish a long term understanding and respect for the needs of local military families, and New Bern is a city that does just this.

July 4th is a perfect day to host a run that unites a community. Hope For The Warriors® is delighted to have the support of members of the community, of the Parks and Recreation department, and of local businesses in hosting this year’s 5K and Kid's Fun Run.

This year, I am especially excited about the New Bern Run For The Warriors® because my parents, two brothers, my sister, and a friend are flying in from all over the country to celebrate the 4th of July right here in New Bern. Everyone in my family is thrilled to start their holiday with a run to support our country’s heroes. I cannot think of a more patriotic, family-friendly event to kick off the day than the New Bern Run For The Warriors®.  I hope that your family joins my family that morning. 

I encourage the people of New Bern to come support the event either as participants, volunteers, or spectators. The runners will truly enjoy the crowd support.

For more information visit www.hopeforthewarriors.org/newbernrun or contact me at msims@hopeforthewariors.org.

Mona and her family at a race in Texas

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Who is that Masked Man?

Meet Scott Sunday, member of Team Hope For The Warriors®.  Read about his experiences in the Run For The Warriors® held on May 18, 2013 in Jacksonville, NC. Read more about Scott's adventures.

As Armed Forces Day 2013 approached, Emme, my wife, and I were heading to Jacksonville, NC to visit our friend, and Gold Star Wife, Veronica. Having often celebrated Armed Forces Day hanging out with friends, cooking out, going to the beach, or just relaxing; this year’s celebration would take on an entirely different turn.  Rather than relaxing, this year’s celebration was the culmination of several month of fundraising on behalf of Hope For The Warriors®; a fundraiser that would have me running the Run For The Warriors® Half Marathon in an elevation training mask and weighted vest.

If you find yourself asking why, you would not be alone; that was a common theme during the fundraiser and training leading up to the Run For The Warriors® event.  Simply put, I was wearing the vest in hopes that bearing a heavy load would inspire donors to donate funds to allow warriors and their families to bear a lighter load. I added weight proportional to the donations that were received.  The mask has a symbolic meaning as it restricted my oxygen intake making it difficult to breathe.  This is similar to the Gold Star family members who struggle daily to take a breath without feeling the pain of their fallen Hero.

 

As we were driving to Jacksonville I found myself abnormally nervous. I’ve already run a marathon in 29 states in my quest to run a marathon in each state in honor of fallen friends and heroes.  A half marathon certainly shouldn’t make me overly nervous.  As we arrived in Jacksonville it dawned on me that I was nervous because not only was I running the race on Saturday but I was also one of the guest speakers at the Hope For The Warriors® Pre-Race Dinner.  Arriving at the dinner I was quickly welcomed into the Hope For The Warriors® family.  There were several speakers during the dinner and I was humbled to be among them; sure enough, as soon as I finished my speech and returned to my seat the nervous were gone.  That is until we made it to our hotel and I started packing the gear for the morning’s run.

Friday night I thought about both the daunting task ahead of me the next day.  I awoke early Saturday morning, grabbed the gear and Emme and I headed to the high school for the race.  Upon arrival we searched for Veronica, and another friend Rocio, who had agreed to run the race with me to keep me company and ensure I was safe.  Quickly enough, the gun sounded to start and we were off.

 

We started off at a steady pace, even passing a few people during the first couple of miles.  But  I quickly realized that the mask and vest were going to be more difficult than I’d anticipated in the heat and humidity of the morning and I slowed the pace.  As we arrived at the aid stations the volunteers were incredibly pleasant, supportive and cheerful; truly a welcome reprieve from the lonely asphalt that lie ahead.  At one of the aid stations a volunteer, not realizing what I was wearing, asked; “Do you need all that to run?”  I got a good laugh out of that later when I actually had the energy to laugh.

 

 

As we continued to plod along, and the course grew emptier, I was truly grateful that Veronica and Rocio decided to hang back with me despite my slowing them down.  Finally, after a couple of hours the high school came back into view and we knew the end was in sight.  About half a mile from the finish we were met by Robin Kelleher, President/CEO/Cofounder at Hope For The Warriors®, who joined us for the final stretch.  As we entered the stadium and approached the finish line, a group of volunteers started cheering and fell in behind us; encouraging us across the finish line.  It was truly an emotional experience crossing the line as it closed the first chapter in my fundraising efforts; I certainly hope I represented the donors well during the run.  

It was truly an honor to be a member of Team Hope For The Warriors® and spend Armed Forces day running a half-marathon wearing a 39-pound weighted vest and elevation training mask in support of Hope For The Warriors ®.

 

 

Find a Run For The Warriors® near you!

 

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Hope For The Warriors® Women Veterans Initiative

Photo by Expert Infantry

There has been an increase in political and public attention of the issues facing today’s women service members and veterans. In addition to news and media stories, there have been several critically acclaimed documentaries during the last few years that powerfully portray the unique experiences of Servicewomen such as Lioness, The Invisible War, and Service: When Women Come Marching Home.

Leaders in Washington are also focusing on Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and proposing legislation and policies to address and prevent MST. Honoring servicewomen and addressing their needs has always been part of Hope For The Warriors® mission and we are now developing specific programming to enhance the quality of life for post-9/11 servicewomen.

Let’s start with the basics. There are currently 438,504 post-9/11 women veterans in the United States (27% of all female veterans). In addition to this, there are 194,000 active-duty servicewomen, making up 14.5% of all troops. This number is expected to double in the next 10 years.  More than 240,000 women have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11.  In addition, there are 80,000 women in the Reserves and 65,000 in the National Guard.

Women who serve within the US Military have unique strengths and challenges. According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs (DOVA) Women Veteran Profile report released in February 2013, women veterans (not Post 9/11 specific) have higher personal incomes that women non-veterans, are more likely to have medical insurance, and are more likely to work in local, state, and federal government. Compared with their male counterparts, women veterans are more likely to have completed college, and employed women veterans are more likely to be in management and professional occupations.

Women veterans also hold a variety of personal and professional roles, as mothers, wives, sisters, partners, etc. Women veterans are more likely than non-veteran women to be married and tend to get married at a younger age. According to the DOVA report, roughly 29% of women veterans age 17-24 are married compared with 9% of non-Veteran women. Women veterans are also more likely to have children, and to have them at a younger age.

Photo by U.S. Army

Servicewomen also face unique challenges. In a male-dominated setting, servicewomen embrace culturally unconventional roles and negotiate stereotypes, labels, and preconceptions of their capability to serve.  In February 2012, women could finally, officially be assigned to combat battalions.  They had, however, already served in Iraq and Afghanistan through policy loopholes that attached them temporarily to combat units. Since 2001, 946 women have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan and 152 have been killed in action.  A recent book by Tanya Biank titled Undaunted:The Real Story of America's Servicewomen in Today's Military, provides an insider’s look into these women’s experiences.

Despite their successes and the progress made, compared to their male counterparts, women veterans still lag behind in the areas of healthcare, insurance and income.  According to the DOVA report, women veterans are more likely to have a service-connected disability rating, less likely to use VA health care, less likely to be insured medically, and more likely to live in poverty than their male counterparts. They are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population.

Photo by U.S. Army

Researchers and psychologists have attributed this to the fact that women are more vulnerable to Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), both from combat and Military Sexual Trauma (MST). According to a study from the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, 53% of homeless women veterans have experienced MST. One in three service women today report being exposed to a form of sexual violence including sexual harassment, assault, or rape.

In early June, four staff members ran a workshop at Stand Up For Women Veterans http://www.fsw.org/stand-up-for-women-veterans-june-7-2013, a daylong conference presented by L.I.V.E. at Westchester Community College in New York. These workshops addressed the theme of “Identity” from both a professional and personal perspective. Women veteran participants used therapeutic and creative arts techniques to explore issues of identity, pinpoint skills and strengths, and develop personal and professional goals.

As we discover and explore what makes us unique as individuals, we also discover what connects us and makes us strong as community. This workshop was just one step in addressing the unique needs of women veterans.  We know that women veterans are resilient and Hope For The Warriors® is committed to enhancing this resiliency.

Today’s blog was contributed by Andrea Ford, LMSW, a new regional clinical social worker based in the New York City office of Hope For The Warriors®. She is excited for her new position and to embark on her first project – Hope For The Warriors® Women Veteran’s Initiative. This entry is the first in a series of blog posts where Andrea will address stories, issues, and topics related to women service members and veterans.

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