San Diego CA Research: August 2013

Thursday, August 22, 2013

The Warrior Foundation aims to be the leading force in assisting, honoring and supporting the military men and women who have so bravely served and sacrificed for our country.

http://www.warriorfoundation.com/

Warrior Foundation

We are committed to supporting our warriors in a variety of ways, providing quality-of-life items and numerous support services designed to assist them and their families during recovery. Learn More...

Bass Fishing Tournament | Diamond Valley Lake

Freedom Station will also enable personal interaction between our military Warriors and uniquely qualified volunteers and professionals who can assist them with many of the challenges they will face during the transition to civilian life.Learn More...

Welcome to FREEDOM Station

Mission Statement

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UPCOMING EVENTS

CAPITAL EDGE 2013 CHARITY CLASSIC (09/16/13)

13th ANNUAL BLUE ANGELS FOUNDATION GOLF TOURNAMENT (10/03/13 10:00 am)

HEMET - SAN JACINTO CONGRESS OF REPUBLICANS OCTOBER FALL BBQ (10/12/13 1:00 pm)

INJURED WARRIOR RIDE (11/01/13)

WARRIORS UNITED - CLASSIC CAR SHOW (11/09/13 9:00 am)

WARRIORS UNITED - CLASSIC CAR SHOW

On: 11/09/13 9:00 am

Food, Fun, Celebrities, WWII Vets, Wounded Warriors, Great Auction items (like passes to Jay Leno's garage), pinstripers who volunteered to pinstripe prosthesis for our warriors and much, much more!!!

INJURED WARRIOR RIDE

On: 11/01/13

With November being Harley-Davidsonâ€™s Military Appreciation Month and the United States Marine Corpsâ€™ birthday, it was decided the Injured Warrior Appreciation Run would occur on the first Friday

HEMET - SAN JACINTO CONGRESS OF REPUBLICANS OCTOBER FALL BBQ

On: 10/12/13 1:00 pm

13th ANNUAL BLUE ANGELS FOUNDATION GOLF TOURNAMENT

On: 10/03/13 10:00 am

Del Mar Country Club, a highly exclusive private club in Rancho Santa Fe, California, hosted a fundraising golf tournament in support of the Blue Angels Foundation. Special guests included many former

CAPITAL EDGE 2013 CHARITY CLASSIC

On: 09/16/13

Capital Edge Charity ClassicJoin Capital Edge Consulting in honoring our military heroes at the 2013 Capital Edge Charity Classic, benefiting the Warrior Foundation. All proceeds go to their mission Mission Statement

The Warrior Foundation aims to be the leading force in assisting, honoring and supporting the military men and women who have so bravely served and sacrificed for our country.

Warrior Foundation

Since being formed in 2004 the Warrior Foundation and Freedom Station has taken on a life of its own. The support from our community has been beyond our wildest expectations and has brought to us many wonderful supporters...

FREEDOM STATION

Freedom Station will be the leader in providing temporary lodging facilities, as well as educational and career guidance to our Nationâ€™s injured and disabled military heroes who are medically retired or discharged.

HOW YOU CAN DONATE

DONATE HERE

â€œWarrior Foundation~Freedom Station needs your help to continue its important mission.

"You can donate online or with a check or money order.â€If you would like to set up a monthly recurring donation, please contact

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Thank You For Your Kind Support!

Please send checks to: Warrior Foundation~Freedom Station 1223 1/2 28th St., San Diego, CA 92102

Make checks or money orders payable to: Warrior Foundation~Freedom Station For further information, contact:

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PLAN A FUNDRAISER

The Warrior Foundation~Freedom Station is more than honored to have your support!! The events listed below are events that have been created by YOU, our generous supporters!! Because our Mission is so very important- helping our injured warriors- we donate 100% of all donations to our warriors and we work hard to keep the costs to very minimum. The Warrior Foundation~Freedom Station will make every effort to help the day of your event as speakers and volunteers.

Please contact us for more information.

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Freedom Station will be the leader in providing temporary lodging facilities, as well as educational and career guidance to our Nation’s injured and disabled military heroes who are medically retired or discharged. We will aid them as they begin the transition from defenders of freedom to productive members of America’s civilian work force. Freedom Station will also enable personal interaction between our military Warriors and uniquely qualified volunteers and professionals who can assist them with many of the challenges they will face during the transition to civilian life.

We vow to be the hand up and not a hand out. The Board of Directors of Freedom Station would like to thank you for your contributions toward making Freedom Station a reality. Your support allows us to help serve those who have so bravely and selflessly served and defended us.

The Warrior Foundation~Freedom Station vows to be the leading force in assisting, honoring and supporting the military men and women who have so bravely served and sacrificed for our country. We are committed to supporting our warriors in a variety of ways, providing quality-of-life items and numerous support services designed to assist them and their families during recovery.

The Warrior Foundation~Freedom Station assists four main groups of warriors: the Seriously Injured (SI) just returning home from war; those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI); those undergoing physical or occupational therapy, and warriors who have been medically retired and remain in our community. To serve this last group in particular, Warrior Foundation~Freedom Stationpioneered a new approach and opened Freedom Station - a unique recovery transition center and housing facility that provides injured warriors with the acclimation time, guidance and resources to successfully make the transition from military service to civilian life.

HISTORY

It all started with a razor.

Warrior Foundation-Freedom Station is the result of years of labor and love by Navy Wife and Mom Sandy Lehmkuhler and Mr. Jim Bedinger CDR/POW/Navy Retired, as well as a dedicated team of patriotic citizens. While volunteering at Naval Medical Center San Diego in 2004, Ms. Lehmkuhler was distraught to find that the hospital’s injured were lacking some basic quality-of-life items. Spurred by a conversation with two amputees who required special electric razors for shaving, she went on the radio to make a plea for donations and the organization was born. Since then, Warrior Foundation-Freedom Station has been dedicated to assisting military men and women who have served our country in the War Against Terrorism. The Foundation provides every kind of support imaginable, from airfare and hotel rooms for parents coming to their injured children’s bedsides, special sunglasses for those whose retinas detached after IED blasts, modified combat boots for prosthetic limbs, and hundreds of plane tickets to send warriors home for Christmas.

The day you find out you can no longer be in the military is a hard day.

In her work, Ms. Lehmkuhler realized there was a specific group of warriors who needed assistance in one crucial area – the transition from military to civilian life. The day that a Marine, Soldier or Sailor is told that they can no longer be in the military as a result of his or her injuries is a very hard day. This particular group of warriors often enters a period fraught with fear, uncertainty and self-doubt as they await their medical retirement. It is during this critical transition that many veterans fall through the cracks and are at risk of joblessness and/or homelessness, as evidenced by Vietnam-era veterans that still constitute one of America’s largest homeless populations.

The Missing Link: housing and services to help injured warriors prepare for civilian life.

While they may not be in a war zone anymore, our injured servicemen and women face new challenges when they return home – the often untold story of coping with injuries, rehabilitation and a transition to civilian life. So we delivered what our military members were asking for – a recovery transition center called Freedom Station. This home for heroes would serve as the “missing link” and proactively combat veteran homelessness and joblessness, instead of react to it once it was too late. With this vision in mind, Freedom Station celebrated its grand opening in May 2011.

Freedom Station fills the void in San Diego for a transitional environment that servicemen and women often lack as they return to life outside of the military. Many troops who have been injured in combat return home with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), spinal cord injuries, amputations, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), burns and blindness. They find themselves not only coping with injuries, but facing medical retirement and an uncertain new life outside of the Armed Forces. Freedom Station creates a transitional period for acclimating to civilian life and also serves as a “training ground” for challenges ranging from new careers and college entry to monthly budgeting and home buying.

The 12-unit housing complex was selected partly for its location just minutes away from Naval Medical Center San Diego. The proximity to the hospital allows easier access for the Warriors to receive the medical treatment that is so important to their physical and emotional recovery. During this critical time, warriors also face many decisions that would affect the rest of their lives. They need help pursuing a career, choosing and enrolling in a college or vocational school, learning how to properly manage finances, and locating or purchasing independent housing. Warrior Foundation~Freedom Station provides assistance with access to, professionals and qualified volunteers who assist with educational and career guidance, and other issues relevant to transitioning to civilian life. We provide these services to our residents because we believe a helping hand at this crucial point is the best way to help them solve issues caused by wartime.

Journey to a new life.

The journeys of our “graduates” and other success stories is evidence that the existence of a supportive, transitional environment for our military men and women can make all the difference. Warrior-Foundation-Freedom Station continues to meet the needs of our military heroes and ensure their successful transition to be self-sufficient, productive and contributing members of society. We are proud of the success of Freedom Station. However, we are most proud of the Warriors that have overcome many obstacles and our now well on their way to living a full and productive life.

Since being formed in 2004 the Warrior Foundation~Freedom Station has taken on a life of its own. The support from our community has been beyond our wildest expectations and has brought to us many wonderful supporters and volunteers. We offer a very direct avenue for patriotic citizens to help assist those who are fighting the war against terrorism. We have FOUR GROUPS of Warriors which the Foundation will, with your generous support, be able to continue helping.

Our First Group is the S.I.'s or Seriously Injured who come home from Iraq or Afghanistan via Germany with immediate needs, both medical and emotional. We fly in family members and provide them with accommodations, transportation, and anything else that will enable them to just concentrate on helping their Warrior with his or her recovery.

The Second Group of Warriors have suffered from exposure to IED blasts, some even from as many as seven different explosions. The Warrior Foundation~Freedom Station has been able to provide IPads, Nexus7's, noise machines, service dogs, voice recorders, lap tops -anything that helps with their short term memory loss.

Those in our Third Group have been going through physical and/or occupational therapy for 2 to 4 years or longer. These are the Warriors whom we have been able to help in numerous ways. Through the help and generosity of our patriotic contributors and volunteers, we have been able to provide a kitchen and computer café, as well as a other quality of life items at Naval Medical Center San Diego. The most important thing we have been able to do for our warriors for the past 8 years has been to place a round trip ticket into each and every one of our warriors' hands so that they could wake up in their own state, in their own bed, with their own family on Christmas morning.

Finally, our Fourth group are those warriors who have been medically retired and remain in our community. We want to keep these great citizens in the San Diego area where we can continue to help them as they transition back into civilian life. In working with these Warriors, they have told us that what they need and want is a place called Freedom Station - a support center to assist with the transition back into civilian life-which had its grand opening on May 27th, 2011

FREEDOM STATION

Hi Sandy,

We just wanted to remind you that we recieve our keys tomorrow, but TMO does not move our stuff from Freedom Station until the following day, Wednesday July 3rd. We have arranged for SDG&E to stop billing us on the 4th, and we will also be cleaning the cottage thouroghly on the 3rd and probably through out the 4th just to make sure nothing is left behind and so we can clean the carpet. We have lived here for about 2 years and the carpet is pretty worn in the living room where it recieved the most foot traffic and WHEELCHAIR, CANE, & CRUTCH traffic lol! But please allow us to clean it once we move out most of the furniture that is ours. After that we will be turning in all keys (mail, cottage, laundry room & gym)

Thank you for EVERYTHING Freedom Station was and IS A BLESSING and it has served its purpose EXACTLY! We were able to save money and enjoy the transition a little more care free knowing we were financialy sound. We made life long friends with our neighbors and voulanteers and JOSUE ESPECIALLY wanted me to mention that you have been a second MOM to him, to us! And we cannot thank you enough for your advice, wisdom, and LOVE! We strongly believe everything happens for a reason and though one door closed on us, MANY MANY more OPENED and we thank you for being that bridge that closed gaps and led us to what is the next chapter of our lives. We will FOREVER PROUDLY support the Freedom Station & Warrior foundation. Its been an HONOR to recieve support from SANDY LEHMKUHLER & JUDY SEXTON, the most AMAZING women helping young men and women and changing lives! We hope you can come out to see our new home soon, you all are welcome any time!

Respectfully/

Mr. & Mrs. Barron

The U.S. Navy will host a hiring and support conference for wounded warriors next week in San Diego.

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2012/oct/25/wounded-warrior-hiring-event-san-diego-next-week/

The event asks employers to step up for veterans. Many business owners say they do support military men and women, especially those who've been wounded and disabled. But the wounded warrior conference is asking for more than support. It wants to see employers hire wounded veterans.

George Byrd, Regional Wounded Warrior Coordinator and SPAWAR Wounded Warrior Program Manager, told KPBS that the unemployment rate for veterans in San Diego is about 16 percent, double the national unemployment rate.

Crystal May Pelham, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, served in Iraq for more than three years as a heavy machinery diesel mechanic. She fell 9 feet while on duty and required several surgeries to be able to walk again. She said after returning home, it was almost impossible to find a job.

"I went from job fair to job fair, I asked questions and all I got was, 'sorry we can't help you,'" she said. "You can only attend so many job fairs before you just want to get up."

But next week's conference hopes to be different. It is free for wounded warriors, and event organizers say businesses including Northrop Grumman Corporation, Bank of America and Raytheon Company as well as Navy commands and the federal government agencies will host booths and accept resumes. Veteran support organizations will also host booths.

"Since last year's conference, the Department of the Navy has hired 9,478 veterans to include 1,647 returning service members with 30 percent or higher disability ratings," said Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Juan Garcia. "We are committed to increasing this number through various initiatives."

Wet weather didn't stop several dozen people with various injuries and disabilities from taking a 17-mile bike ride from National City to Coronado this morning.

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2013/feb/08/veterans-gear-wounded-warriors-san-diego-soldier-r/

They were taking part in the Wounded Warrior Project's Soldier Ride, which was started by a civilian 10 years ago in New York.

"I use to ride for recreation, but never at the level I am now," said Steven Peace, who was gearing up for a long bike ride on a specially equipped one-of-a-kind racer made just for him.

This is his 13th Soldier Ride.

"I was placed on the U.S. national team and paralympics, but not bad," he said.

Not bad indeed for this 16-year veteran of the Navy who suffered a debilitating stroke and could barely move 10 years ago. He's now a mentor for other injured troops.

"They said, 'well he's probably never going to walk, he might have to speak a little slowly,' which ok, so we got that right," Peace said while chuckling.

The Soldier Ride has been called one of the most inspiring athletic events in the country. Fifty men and women from Washington D.C. to Mississippi, Texas and Washington states have joined their comrades in San Diego for a weekend of fellowship.

"There's Army, Air Force, Marines and Navy, but it doesn't matter. Just like sitting around at the bar," Peace said.

The mission of the ride is to empower and honor wounded warriors and raise public awareness about the plight of our injured services members.

Julia Valentour with the Wounded Warrior Project said that camaraderie really helps.

"A lot of veterans tend to isolate, they feel like people don't understand them, but if we can keep getting them out and involved in community events and having fun and feeling like they're in a safe environment, it can encourage them to keep doing that once they get home," she said.

The veterans stretched to prepare for the ride, posed for a group photo, then it was off to the Bay Shore bike lane in National City with a ride through Imperial Beach and a finish 17 miles later on Coronado.

The Department of the Navy kicked off its third annual Wounded Warrior Hiring and Support Conference at the Manchester Grand Hyatt hotel in downtown San Diego, Oct. 29.

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=70411

SAN DIEGO (NNS) --

The goal of the conference is to ensure that Wounded Warriors have the right support when they seek civilian employment after leaving military service.

"We are very excited about our program over the next two days," said Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Juan Garcia III.

The program offers informative breakout sessions covering a wide array of topics to help organizations recruit, hire, and train and retain Wounded Warriors, said Garcia.

"The conference is designed to provide best practices and the most up-to-date information on Wounded Warrior hiring and support across America," said Garcia.

The two-day conference includes a number of workshops to educate job-seeking veterans on how to go about finding work.

"I've learned through my experiences at the conferences that I wasn't completely prepared the first or second time I came," said Bobby Green, a wounded Army veteran. "I've used the conferences as a building tool, basically to say 'hey, you're missing this, fix it next time.'"

The conference provides an opportunity for wounded veterans to network and find jobs inside and outside the Department of Defense.

"Networking, that's the strong point that I always go back to. If you're looking for a job, network," said Green. "The conference itself is great for networking."

Edgar Renales, human resource specialist and project manager for Department of the Navy Employment Information Center said that there are a lot of advantages to hiring wounded veterans.

"A lot of the people I've worked with are in their early twenties and they bring in these skills that we typically don't see in a young person, said Renales. "They've got leadership skills, loyalty, the ability to adapt quickly to environmental changes and - not just those skills - they also bring the skills that they've obtained from their military service, depending on their occupation. All of those skills, alone, are greatly beneficial in the civilian or private sector."

Within the Department of the Navy there are 201,000 civilian positions. "Fifty-seven percent of those are veterans," said Jean Mercer, director for civilian human resource systems and business transformation for the Department of the Navy. "We hire on an average anywhere from 16-23,000 civilians per year. Of those hires, we average 59 percent veterans and of that 59 percent, 14 percent are disabled veterans. We are very proud of those numbers."

The conference will conclude Oct. 30.

What Ryan Elder wanted most in this life was to be a Marine. At 19, the future he saw for himself came in a 20-year slice of time: he’d do his bit, he’d make officer.

http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/San-Diego-Magazine/December-2011/Wounded-Warrior/

He’d cycle out with a pension and half his life in front of him. What would happen after that wasn’t exactly clear, but college figured somewhere in his plans. He was thinking that maybe he’d like to pursue his lifelong passion of philosophy. He enlisted. Now 23, Elder, originally from Bellingham, Wash., is a long way from that life. He folds his 6-foot-5-inch frame into a chair in Balboa Park’s Hall of Champions. Wearing jeans and a T-shirt, he could use a shave. “That’d been my plan,” he says, looking away, “before all this happened.”

The event that derailed Elder’s dream came on hard and fast during the spring of 2010. He was stationed on Okinawa with the Marine Third Maintenance Battalion. At the time, he’d been involved in the process of working through channels on a report about his company’s morale issues. It involved sit-downs with high-ranking Marines and the pressure was on. Elder stopped sleeping and eating. He paced the barracks compulsively, began drifting in and out of another world. The unit’s master sergeant intervened, finally, and asked this: Was he using drugs? No. He drove Elder to the base hospital. There, doctors told him to drink more water, to get more sleep—the military cure for just about everything.

Instead, Elder got worse. He was confined to the infirmary. Fully delusional at this point, he tried to escape. Hospital personnel darted him with a tranquilizer gun and strapped him to a gurney bound for Balboa Naval Hospital’s Wounded Warrior Battalion West. There, he would spend the remaining year and part of the next attached to the Marine’s Wounded Warrior unit. The final diagnosis? A manic episode, triggered by stress. As a result, Elder was now bi-polar. He was prescribed a long list of daily pills including lithium and Risperdal. They curbed his mood swings, but there was something else going on in Elder’s head that the meds couldn’t touch.

“I had a great sense of guilt. In the Marines, you are conditioned to be mentally tough and to hold your own. When you’re in the hospital for mental health reasons, you end up feeling like a loser.” Elder perceived what he thought of as a measure of disgrace surrounding his hospitalization. He’d never seen a day of combat. His injuries were debilitating, but they were all in his head. “I think the military is getting better at it, but there’s still a stigma of having a mental disorder, particularly being in the Wounded Warrior Battalion,” he says, “surrounded by wounded Marines when I myself wasn’t ‘wounded.’ ” He adds later, “there were some Marines I’d served with who thought I had faked the whole thing in order to get off Okinawa.”

Rich Cherry is an ex-Marine from Buffalo, New York. He saw active duty during the first Iraq War. Post military, Cherry worked as the director of operations at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles and as the CIO/director of facilities at the Guggenheim. He is now the director of the Balboa Park Online Collaborative, a group that provides tech support to 27 different entities within Balboa Park. The BPOC needed staff, but they didn’t have the budget. In the past they’d used interns from Hi Tech High and it had worked out well, “but there was a hospital across the street,” he says, meaning Balboa Naval Hospital. In October 2010, Cherry and his team designed the “From Convoys to Computers” technology internship program. With funding help from the Gary and Mary West Foundation, they tailored the program for wounded warriors.

Wounded Warrior Tennis Camp

http://www.sandiegotennis.com/wounded_warrior_tennis_camp.htm

Second

Annual

Wounded, Ill, and Injured Military & Veteran Tennis Camp

Information and FAQs

Dates

The camp will be held

June 12-15, 2013, with travel days on June 11 and 16.

Location

The camp will be held

at Balboa Tennis Club in San Diego, CA, named the Best Public Tennis

Facility in America by the U.S. Tennis Association. Website

www.balboatennis.com

Transportation

Will be arranged by

camp representatives once registration is confirmed. Out-of-area

participants will fly into San Diego International Airport. They will be

met by a camp representative and taken to the hotel. Daily transportation

will be provided between the hotel and Balboa Tennis Club, and to any group

evening events.

Lodging

Will be arranged by

camp representatives once registration is confirmed. Participants will stay

at the Best Western in Mission Valley, approximately 15 minutes from Balboa

Tennis Club. The hotel is ADA compliant. Website

www.bw7seas.com .

Schedule

Details are being

developed, but the general routine will be breakfast, a couple hours of

tennis with breaks, lunch, a few more hours of tennis with breaks, then

evening opportunities to socialize with program participants and members of

the San Diego tennis community.

FAQs

Who is eligible to

attend the camp?

Any wounded, ill, or

injured active duty service member or veteran, regardless of type of

injury. Stand-up and wheelchair players are welcome.

How much prior

tennis experience is required?

Some prior tennis

experience would be helpful, but beginners are welcome.

What activities will

be included in the camp?

The camp will focus on

improving tennis skills through game-based clinics and instruction in an

upbeat, fun-filled atmosphere. On the last day, participants will be able

to compete in a low pressure round robin event with other campers.

What equipment will

the camp provide?

The camp will provide a

racquet, balls, T-shirt & ballcap, all of which the participants can take

with them at the end of the camp. Sport wheelchairs will be available for

those who wish to use them.

Who will run the

camp?

The camp will be led by

Balboa Tennis Club’s Tennis Director, Geoff Griffin, a USPTA-certified

teaching professional for over 25 years, and other professional tennis

instructors from the club. All have been involved in the club’s Wounded

Warrior Tennis Program since its inception in 2009. Support staff from

Naval Medical Center San Diego will assist.

Who can I contact

for more information?

Mary Alice (“M.A.”)

Hillier, Tennis Camp Coordinator,

tennisma@cox.net,

619-884-8911.

Geoff Griffin, Balboa Tennis Club Tennis Director,

griffintennis@msn.com,

619-838-1533.

Steve Kappes,

President, San Diego District Tennis Association,

stevekappes@hotmail.com,

619-948-4596.

The grant funding for this program is

awarded by U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee,

through funding

provided by Veterans Affairs. The grants are provided to

facilitate the growth of Paralympic sport programming for disabled veterans

and disabled members of the Armed Forces.

Dear

Friends,

January 2013

We’re writing to inform you of a wonderful

opportunity for wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans with

an interest in tennis to attend a tennis camp at Balboa Tennis Club in San

Diego, CA from June 12-15, 2013 (travel dates June 11 & 16). Participants’

transportation, lodging, meals, instruction, and equipment will be provided

through grants from the U.S. Olympic Committee, United States Tennis

Association and other sponsors. The camp will focus on improving tennis

skills through game-based clinics and instruction in an upbeat, fun-filled

atmosphere. Beginners are welcome.

Since 2009, the Balboa Tennis Club, in collaboration with Naval Medical

Center San Diego (NMCSD) and the San Diego District Tennis Association, has

provided hundreds of free tennis clinics to more than 400 wounded, ill, and

injured service members and veterans from all the military services as part

of NMCSD’s Balboa Warrior Athlete Program (BWAP). This camp will be the

second annual, run by tennis pros from Balboa Tennis Club and staff from the

BWAP program.

The BWAP tennis program and tennis camp have

been recognized nationally, and are the model for similar tennis programs

for wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans that have been

established at other major military medical centers, Warrior Transition

Units, and VA hospitals across the country.

The BWAP tennis program has made a positive impact in the lives of

wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans. Therapeutically,

tennis has helped them work on eye-hand coordination, balance, endurance,

ability to transfer weight, etc. Besides the physical benefits, tennis

enables them to learn a new sport, promotes socialization, decreases stress

and anxiety, and helps with re-integration into the community.

Please pass this information on our tennis camp to those who may be

interested. Application information and other details are located at

www.sandiegotennis.com.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Steve Kappes

Mary Alice (“M.A.”) Hillier

Geoff Griffin

Captain, U.S. Navy, Ret.;

Tennis Camp Coordinator

Tennis Director

President, San Diego

San Diego District Tennis Assoc.

Balboa Tennis Club

District Tennis Assoc.

"To apply for the Tennis Camp click here to access the form!"

*Save a Copy of the

form to your computer, reopen and fill it in and email the completed form

to M.A. Hillier, Tennis

Camp Coordinator, or print it out, fill it in and fax it to the number

below.

The San Diego District Tennis Association (SDDTA) and Balboa Tennis Club, in partnership with Naval Medical Center San Diego, hosted the 2nd Annual National Military Tennis Camp for Wounded, Ill, and Injured Service Members and Veterans from June 11-16, 2013.

http://www.usta.com/Adult-Tennis/Adaptive-Tennis/san_diego_hosts_wounded_warrior_camp/

By Steve Kappes, special to USTA.com.

The camp was an outgrowth of an ongoing local program established in 2009 that has provided over 100 free tennis-based rehabilitation clinics to over 500 wounded, ill, and injured service members from across the country who have received care at Naval Medical Center San Diego. It has been recognized at the highest levels of the Department of Defense for its excellence and impact, and has become the model for similar adaptive tennis programs that have been established at other military medical centers and warrior transition units across the country.

During the camp, 40 wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans from all the military branches, along with caregivers, participated in 16 hours of tennis instruction and friendly competitions designed to improve their physical and emotional well-being. Group evening activities provided additional opportunities for socializing, camaraderie, and re-integration into the community.

The participants came from 18 states, as far away as New York and Florida, and ranged in age from 22 to 65. Over 70% had served in Iraq and/or Afghanistan, and a few had served in Vietnam. Their injuries were diverse, from double amputees to those which are invisible.

The positive feedback from the participants has been overwhelming, many commenting that tennis is changing their lives for the better, and in some cases, has saved their lives. In addition, Rear Admiral Forrest Faison, the Commander of Naval Medical Center San Diego, received a report on the camp, and responded,

"Thank you for the truly outstanding support you provide our Wounded Warriors and their families. I’m so pleased the camp was a success and greatly appreciate all the hard work and effort your team put into making that happen. Again, thank you so very much."

Grant funding for this program was awarded by U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee, through funding provided by Veterans Affairs. The grants are provided to facilitate the growth of Paralympic-sport programming for disabled Veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces. The United States Tennis Association’s national charitable foundation, USTA Serves, also awarded a grant of $10,000. Dozens of local businesses, community support organizations and recreational tennis players provided additional financial and in-kind donations. As a result, all the participants’ costs were covered, including airfare, lodging, meals, local transportation, tennis equipment, social events, and incidentals.

The San Diego District Tennis Association and Balboa Tennis Club are grateful for the opportunity to support our nation’s heroes and their families through tennis, and sincerely appreciate the many contributions that make it possible.

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The USTA has developed a database of Adaptive Tennis Programs with the purpose of connecting tennis players with the programs available to meet their tennis needs. Stay informed about grants, events, awards and more. View the complete list of registered programs. If you do not see your program, register now for free.

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The USTA National Adaptive Tennis Committee would like to know more about your programs, people and events. This gives recognition to the great work you’re doing and inspires others to provide similar services. Contact us now!

Best,

Joyce Dreslin,

USTA Adaptive Tennis Committee, Spotlight Project Team Leader