The past 8 months have been quite a journey. It’s had its ups and downs alone the way. Thankfully we haven’t been alone down this road. We’ve had God with us even before Justin was injured and He hasn’t left our sides. We’ve had friends and family praying for us, encouraging us, and caring for us. We’ve also been helped by quite a few non-profit groups…most of which we had never heard of until coming to Walter Reed. I’d like to tell you about some of them. There are so many more that I can’t possibly mention or remember them all, so I’m just going to mention the ones that have personally helped us. Quite a few groups regularly make rounds bringing goodies to our building and/or meals to the wounded warrior floor in the hospital. I’ve appreciated them all even if I don’t remember their names. The ones I’m about to tell you about are in no specific order, and if you would like more information about any of them, feel free to ask me or “like” their facebook pages. They are all wonderful organizations with a heart for healing our nation’s wounded service members.
The first group of people is the wonderful people who make the Quilts of Valor. Justin received two of these quilts when he was in Afghanistan and has received a third one since arriving here. These quilts have brought us much warmth and comfort during this time. They are beautiful and I know there was a lot of love for our service members that went into them. If you are a quilter and would like to know more about how to get involved, I can give you some more information about how to help our wounded men and women.
The group that came to see Justin while he was in Germany was the Wounded Warrior Project. This group is probably the most well-known due to their commercials and t-shirts. I personally think they could do a lot more good if they functioned on less overhead costs, but they do a good work in helping the wounded and bringing attention to them so that they aren’t forgotten. They have given us bags, clothes (including socks which gave us a laugh), and hygiene items. They visited Justin regularly when he was inpatient and brought milkshakes. One of the regulars at Walter Reed is also a wounded warrior missing both of his legs…though you wouldn’t know it unless he’s wearing shorts. He’s walking, living proof that there’s a light at the end of this tunnel.
The group that we’ve probably had the most interaction with is Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing. I can’t say enough good about this group. One of Justin’s favorite hobbies has always been fishing. When he was injured, he thought he’d have to wait a long time to get back into fishing. Then he heard about Project Healing Waters. He was fishing in a tournament a little over two months post-injury. They come weekly to Walter Reed to teach the wounded warriors more about fly fishing, practice casting, making fishing flies, and overall being such an encouragement. Some of the trips, Justin’s gone on by himself and some have been with our whole family. Corey has come to love fly fishing from the trips he’s been on. They also played a part in the hunting trip Justin and I went on in Texas. Everyone we have met through this program has been so nice to us and we are thankful for them and the work they do.
I mentioned America’s Fund/Semper Fi Fund recently in one of my statues. They do so much to help not just the wounded warriors, but also their families. Some of their people go room-to-room to visit the wounded while they’re inpatient. They help out families financially so that visit a loved one when they’re in the hospital isn’t a hardship. They give out jackets and blankets to the adults and teddy bears to the kids. They help out with child care costs, pet costs, help alongside the VA to assist wounded warriors in purchasing new vehicles, help give back the gift of mobility by giving track chairs (the special chairs with the tank treads), and so much more. They also do so much for the caregivers to help keep our morale up.
Operation Ward 57 is named after the original wounded warrior ward in the old Walter Reed that was located in D.C. Now the wounded warriors are on the 4th floor, but I personally think Ward 57 sounds a lot cooler than Operation 4th Floor of building 10. Most of our interaction with them was on the inpatient side. When Justin got to Walter Reed, he was in no condition to be up and about, much less to deal with things like going to the barber shop. Operation Ward 57 brought the barber shop to him. They regularly bring in people to cut hair on the wounded warrior floor. For guys like Justin who have sported military regulation haircuts for so long, they feel not quite themselves when their hair gets too long, and the awesome people from Ward 57 made Justin feel more like himself. They also come around and have special events in the hospital like ice cream sundaes which may seem like a simple thing, but it really means a lot to the families on the 4th floor.
Heroes Haven is a small non-profit out of Sharptown, MD. Most of the people who run it are either in the American Legion or Sons of the American Legion. They’re the ones who helped Justin go on his first hunting trip post-injury. They welcomed our family and the other two participants into town with a police and motorcycle escort through a couple small towns where people lined the streets waving and holding flags and signs. They welcomed us into their town and into their homes and treated us like family.
Our family did not stay in the Fisher House, but we were helped by one of their programs - Hero Miles. The Fisher houses help families have a place to stay free of cost while their loved one is undergoing care at a military facility. For a smaller family like ours, the Navy Lodge and now building 62 are sufficient, but for larger families or cases where extended family stays for longer periods of time, the Fisher Houses provide a place for them to feel at home. The Fisher House Foundation also stepped up during the government shutdown to help families of soldiers killed in action with their expenses. When Justin was injured, the Army travel people booked me a flight to Walter Reed. I didn’t have either of our vehicles up here which at first wasn’t as big of a deal, but once Justin was discharged, we wanted to venture off the hospital complex more. To get our vehicle, we needed to fly back to Georgia to get it. This is where Hero Miles helped out. People donate their unused frequent flyer miles and Hero Miles uses them to pay for flights for the wounded warriors and family/friends. For us, it was to fly back home briefly. For others, it’s the only way family can afford to come visit.
The Yellow Ribbon Fund does so much to help wounded warriors and their families. One way that they helped us was with their taxi voucher program. Before we had our vehicle up here, there were times where we wanted to get out or needed a ride to the airport. The Yellow Ribbon Fund provides taxi vouchers so that we’re able to get around for free. They also provide special outings and services for caregivers. On holidays, they bring gifts for the wounded and their caregivers.
Active Heroes isn’t a group that makes rounds at Walter Reed, but they definitely deserve mention. They organized a golf benefit for us last month and have another schedule for later this year. The proceeds all go into a fund that is setup for long term assistance or for help with immediate specific expenses. This is just one of the programs they have going. Another that is in the works is a retreat for wounded warriors and their families. They have purchased the land and are working on building it. I’ve enjoyed seeing the pictures they’ve posted on their facebook page. It looks like such a peaceful place that will be enjoyed by so many.
Operation Homefront is an organization that I’m not as familiar with, but I still appreciate them and what they do. On Valentine’s Day, I heard a knock at our door. When I got to the door, nobody was there, but at my feet was a nice bag filled with gifts for me. There was a bag at every door on our hall. Out of curiosity, I looked up the bag since it was a name brand, and I’d estimate they spent over $100 on each room. The majority of the caregivers around here are women – wives, mothers, sisters, other female family members, or friends. Most are probably like us where it’s rare for the wounded warrior to go anywhere without the caregiver, so it’s hard to buy surprise gifts. It was really nice of Operation Homefront to surprise the caregivers (and I know that Yellow Ribbon Fund has done similar on the inpatient side of the hospital) on Valentine’s Day.
Justin and I are used to being the ones that people call when they need help. We’re not used to being the ones that need help, but right now we find ourselves being the recipient of the help of these wonderful, generous groups/people. I don’t know how to thank them enough for what they’ve done and are still doing for our family. The best way I can think of right now to show my appreciation is by recognizing them and getting their names out there. If you’re reading this and you’re a part of one of these or any other organization that helps our veterans – both the wounded and the ones who were more fortunate – I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do! You truly are making a difference in lives.
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