Heroes Haven 2015

The past couple weeks have been busy for our family. Justin was able to schedule a trip to Walter Reed around our trip to the Eastern Shore for the Heroes Haven hunting trip. His sockets hadn’t been fitting properly and the local civilian prosthetist just isn’t as fast as the people at Walter Reed. So, I dropped him off at the airport and he flew up to Maryland to get some leg work done. While he was there, he was able to tie some fishing flies with our Project Healing Waters friends. He had hoped to go fishing with them, but the trip was cancelled due to a water main break on the road in front of the hospital complex. He left our house wearing one set of legs and with another set in his suitcase. He came home with 3 ½ sets (the ½ is just the feet with no sockets – the sockets can be taken from one set and put on those when needed) and another set is being mailed down because they weren’t ready when he left. He now has more legs than an octopus. One of his new sets of legs puts him back at 6’4” (his pre-injury height). This is the first time he’s been that tall since he was injured. Now he can pick his legs based on how long the pants are that he wants to wear. He has a pair that was a little long with his other legs, so they should work perfectly with his new legs. With his new legs, sleeves, and liners in his possession, he was ready to go on to the next part of the trip.

Last week on Tuesday, Justin got a ride out to Sharptown, MD and Corey and I packed up our truck to start our trip to meet him there. Thankfully, Corey and I had great weather for the drive and traffic moved at a steady pace the whole way (and considering some of the sections we traveled, that’s just about a miracle). On Wednesday, we were able to meet up with one of my Army wife friends that I met in Germany. We’ve kept in touch and chat often, but it’s been a couple years since we’d seen each other. When I told her we would be heading to Maryland and would pass by where she lives on the way, we made plans to meet up. I wish we could have hung out longer, but I still had a few hours left to drive and Justin was waiting for me to bring his muzzle loader for him to sight in before the hunts. While we were driving, Justin and the other guys who were there for the Heroes Haven event were at the gun range. They sighted in their muzzle loaders and then had some fun trying out the guns that local gun manufacturer, LWRC, brought. I arrived after the guys had finished shooting the LWRC guns and the last few were sighting in their muzzle loaders. Justin sighted in his, and then took Corey over to a shorter ranger and let Corey shoot a few rounds through his little .22 Cricket before we headed over to the skeet shooting area.

After the shooting, it was time to head to the Sharptown American Legion. Since this was our third year, we knew what to expect, but some of the new guys were clueless and it was a bit emotional for them. The weather was beautiful and there was a great turnout of bikers to escort us and people lining the streets to welcome us to Sharptown. Our first year, it was strangers welcoming us. This year, like last year, it was friends welcoming us back…and it was very good to be back. Over the next few days, the guys went out hunting. There weren’t as many deer shot this time around (sadly, we saw 10x the number that were shot that had been hit by cars on the interstate), but I don’t think that anyone would say that Heroes Haven 2015 wasn’t a success. You see, hunting is what may bring them to Sharptown, but it’s the community, not the deer, that make Heroes Haven something special.

Two years ago, Justin, Corey, and I were the first family to come to the Heroes Haven event. Previously it had just been the guys who were hunting. This year, there were several families who came. On Friday, some of us went to a pumpkin patch and let the kids pick out pumpkins. We had planned to pick some apples, but it wasn’t open that day. On Saturday, a bunch of us went to a corn maze. The kids had a blast…and the adults tried to keep the group from getting too lost.

Then came the banquet on Saturday evening. As always, the banquet was a wonderful evening. The new guys were presented with keys to the city of Sharptown, memberships to the American Legion, and their guns that they’d used throughout the week. This year, Heroes Haven had someone who hadn’t served in the military. The board voted to open it up to law enforcement that had been wounded in the line of duty, and this year was the first year they had a police officer. Since he had never been in the military, he wasn’t eligible to join the American Legion, but he was accepted into the Sons of the American Legion. It was a very special night for all of the new guys. Then the guys from previous years were given the trophies from the previous season. Ray, the man in charge of making everything happen, was given a crossbow by the guys from previous years and he was speechless. It was nice to see the guys giving back. At one point during the evening, several of the guys from last year announced that they would pass around baskets and if enough money was collected, Kendall would shave his beard and if even more was, he’d shave his whole head. A couple men from the community jumped in and offered to shave their beards as well. Nearly $2400 was raised!

Sunday morning was, as Corey calls it, the good-bye breakfast. We enjoyed one last meal with our friends before we had to hit the road to head back home. We took a different route home and went through some underwater tunnels. It was a more scenic route, but traffic was lighter, so it wasn’t too bad. We made it home yesterday evening. I’m so glad we made the trip to Maryland, but man, is it good to be home.

Christmas - a time for giving

Christmas will be here before we know it (no, I’m not skipping over Thanksgiving), and a lot of times near Christmas, people look for different charities to donate to. I’ve learned over the past 17 months that non-profits are not created equally. I’m not going to name names, but many “non-profits” have high paid CEOs and have a lot of the money donated go toward overhead costs and advertising. I can’t speak for other causes, but I can tell you which non-profits do the most to actually help wounded veterans. Right now some of them have special projects going on for the Christmas season to help families of wounded vets. This is by no means a full list of all the wonderful non-profits who do so much good, but here are a handful of once that have personally helped us or friends of ours. These are in no particular order, and I'm telling you about them, not to help our family personally, but to help the many other families of wounded warriors.

Semper Fi Fund/America’s Fund https://semperfifund.org/match/

Every weekday, rain or shine, people from this organization go from room to room on the inpatient ward making sure that needs are met, not only for the wounded service member, but also his/her family and friends who are there to visit. They do special outings to boost morale of caregivers. They help with the purchase of vehicles to be adapted and purchase all-terrain wheelchairs to assist with mobility for outdoor type sports. They help with expenses for moving, house needs, travel expenses, and so much more. Right now through the end of the year, every dollar donated will be matched by the Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation.

Operation Ward 57 http://www.operationward57.org/holiday2014/

Ward 57 was the inpatient wounded warrior floor at the old Walter Reed before it was combined with the Navy hospital in Bethesda. They do a lot to make sure needs are met for both the inpatient and outpatient residents at Walter Reed (and other places). They’ve collect everything from back massagers to waffle makes and whole lot more. They also do a lot to bring attention and educated on some of the emotional and mental issues that many service members face. They have someone who will answer their phone 24/7 if they need to talk or get advice, not for recognition, but because they truly care and want to help. Right now they have a program where they match sponsors with wounded warrior families to help the WW families have a better Christmas.

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing http://www.projecthealingwaters.org/

This organization has been a huge help to Justin. He loves to be outdoors, and they have provided him with a way to be outdoors and get back into one of his favorite hobbies. But it’s not just about the fishing. A group of their volunteers comes out to Walter Reed (and other military hospitals and VA hospitals and clinics all over the country) weekly to teach fly tying and casting, but while doing that, they build relationships with the wounded vets and their families. They teach fly fishing and boost morale and are an overall encouragement while doing it.

Heroes Haven http://heroeshaven.org/

This is a smaller non-profit run through a local American Legion post on the eastern shore of Maryland. Even though their reach isn’t as big as other groups, the impact they make on those who they reach is huge. They got Justin out hunting for the first time post-injury and made us part of their community. They gave us a home away from home when we needed to get away from the hospital and have become part of our family’s support system.

Luke’s Wings http://www.lukeswings.org/

We personally have not flown using the Luke’s Wings program because when we travel, we typically have driven for various reasons, but many of my friends have benefitted greatly from this awesome program. They recognize the need to reunite wounded warriors with their family and friends. If you are a frequent flier and have extra miles, you can donate them. Now through the end of November, for every Delta mile donated, Delta will match the donation. All these miles will be used to help wounded warriors be with their families for Christmas.

Gary Sinise Foundation http://www.garysinisefoundation.org/

Many of you have probably seen the movie Forrest Gump. One of the characters in the movie was Lt. Dan, played by Gary Sinise (also known for playing the part of Mac Taylor on CSI: NY). The Lt. Dan character was injured in Vietnam and lost both legs, and while researching the part, Gary Sinise felt moved to start helping wounded veterans by starting the Gary Sinise Foundation and to start up a cover band called the Lt. Dan Band that would tour military bases and hospitals around the world to boost morale. Now that CSI: NY has run its course, he is working full time in his work helping service members and veterans. Recently, his foundation gave a “smart house” that is fully adapted to help one of our Walter Reed friends (one of only a handful of quadruple amputees who survived). He may not have served in the military (in real life), but he has done so much to serve those who have served/are serving.

Yellow Ribbon Fund http://www.yellowribbonfund.org/

When a service member is injured, the military will pay for 3 family members to be by their side while they are inpatient initially. The Yellow Ribbon Fund helps with lodging for additional family members to come visit for a few days, whether the person is inpatient or outpatient. They help with caregiver resources and retreats. They provided a much needed playground next to the wounded warrior living residence on the hospital complex. They help with rental cars and taxi vouchers to help with transportation (since many of us flew up to the area and were without personal transportation for a while). Many of their volunteers are caregivers themselves, so they have a firsthand knowledge of the needs of caregivers.

The Independence Fund http://www.independencefund.org/

One of the most popular things this organization does is give all-terrain wheelchairs to wounded veterans. These are a huge help to people with limited mobility to enjoy hobbies that they wouldn’t be able to access in a normal wheelchair. The Indy Fund also teams up with other organizations to help with transportation and housing needs for wounded veterans. They’ve provided hand bikes for wounded vets without legs or with leg problems who are unable to use a traditional bicycles (for some these hand bikes are the main form of exercise that these men and women are able to physically do to stay healthy).

The Space Coast Paratroopers Association https://www.facebook.com/SpaceCoastParatroopersAssociation

For those in central Florida, this organization is teaming up with the city of Palm Bay to provide (adapted if needed) homes to wounded veterans. These houses are foreclosures and need a bit of work to spruce them up and adapt if needed. A lot of the work is done by volunteers or businesses volunteering their skills, and a lot of the materials are donated. Even if you can’t afford to purchase materials or give money, the gift of time in helping fix up these house is greatly appreciated. They post on their Facebook page where/when the volunteer opportunities are. If nothing else, check out and “like” their page so you can see the awesome job their doing and watch the transformations of these houses.

Treats 4 Our Troops https://www.facebook.com/notes/treats-4-our-troops/t4ot-official-holiday-collection-and-packing-guidelines-revised-september-2014/10150099961180620?fref=nf

Do you have any extra candy from Halloween that you don’t want to rot your children’s’ teeth? This organization will help you send it to troops who are deployed or to wounded warriors who are inpatient at Walter Reed. Check out their page for more information.

Amazon Smile http://smile.amazon.com/gp/charity/pd.html/ref=smi_se_saas_pd_pd

If you’re like my family and like the ease of online shopping, you probably have ordered from Amazon. They started a program Amazon Smile where you can sign up (for free) and for every dollar you spend, they donate (at no extra cost to you) .5% to the charity of your choice. Yeah, .5% isn’t a lot – 50 cents for every $100 spent, but it adds up and it requires no effort or cost to you, so why not sign up? Many of the non-profits I’ve already talked about are registered in this program and they can benefit from shopping that you were already planning on doing. Once you pick an organization, you can change it whenever, and however many times you want, so if you want to support one organization for 6 months, and then switch it up, you can. There are so many wonderful organizations to choose from that it’s difficult to choose just one.

Heroes Haven 2014

From Wednesday to Sunday, our family was privileged to be a part of the 2014 Heroes Haven event. We were a part of this event last year as well. Both guys that participated with Justin last year were back again this year too. For me, this year was a lot different than last year. Last year when we arrived, everyone was a complete stranger to us. We had no idea what to expect. With the event last October and the many times we’ve visited over the past year, this time it was like coming home, and we brought friends with us. Justin was able to link up a couple of his Walter Reed buddies with Heroes Haven, and we were excited to have them come and enjoy themselves as much as we did last year.

Unlike last year, we didn’t have to cut through red tape to go on the trip (not having an IV line in Justin’s shoulder helped), we were able to get there in time for Justin to shoot at the gun range. The new guys all sighted in their weapons that they would use for the hunts. Justin assisted since muzzle loaders can be tricky. Then the guy from a local gun manufacturer brought out some guns (with lots of ammo) for the guys to try out. A few of the guys even tested them out at the 500 yard range (and hit the target). After they finished at that part of the range, they moved over to the skeet shooting area and continued having a great time. It rained off and on while we were at the range, but the rain didn’t put a damper on everyone having a good time. Corey was glad it rained because he got to try out his new rain boots by splashing in the puddles. There was no lightning, so I didn’t even bother trying to keep him dry…it would have been a pointless endeavor. lol Due to the rain, there weren’t as many motorcycles out to escort us to the American Legion post, but there were a few who were out in rain gear.

While the guys were out hunting on Thursday, Corey and I got to go toy shopping. The couple who are in charge of the local Toys for Tots asked us to join them to pick out toys for the program. We were given some very basic guidelines and went at it. Corey was a big help in being our toy expert. I had explained to him the night before about Toys for Tots and he was so excited to pick out toys that he just knew the boys and girls would love. We ended up filling 5 shopping carts full of toys. Thankfully the store wasn’t busy at the time because it took us a while to checkout at the end.

On Friday morning, Justin shot a couple Sika deer, so that evening, he decided to take Corey out in the deer stand with him. Corey was so excited to go hunting with his daddy. He had his little binoculars and Justin’s deer call, wore his camouflage clothes, and even had on camo face paint. Justin texted me a few pictures from the stand. The first was of Corey all excited and ready to hunt, the second was of him laying down on the floor of the stand and using Justin’s backpack as a pillow, and the third was of Corey fast asleep. Like father, like son. Justin’s been known to sleep in the stand a time or two.

Saturday night was the banquet. Looking around the room, you could see that, like our family and the other two guys last year, the new guys had shifted from strangers just meeting everyone on Wednesday evening to part of the community by Saturday evening. Everyone was talking and laughing like old friends. Yes, the main draw to the event is the hunting, but it’s the hospitality and friendships formed that has kept us coming back to Sharptown, and I have a feeling that the new guys will be back before long.

all of the veterans who were at the banquet

Justin, Robert, and Kyle - the Walter Reed guys

A Special Thank You to People Who Make a Difference

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.