Warrior Team Member Highlight: Dean Suthard

Dean competing in the Rock 'N' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon

Team Member Since: 2010

Hometown: Stafford, VA

2012 Team Footprints

Rock ‘N’ Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon
Tunnel To Towers 5K – NYC

Have You Participated In Any Races in 2013 yet?

“I participated in the Locomotive Half Marathon in Kennesaw, GA and in the Hot Chocolate 15k in Atlanta, GA. When I participated in the Hot Chocolate 15k race in Atlanta, there were people on the course who had never seen a handcycle.  There were only three of us out there.  A lot of the time people don’t see us, depending on if the race has the handcycles start at the beginning of the race or at the end of the race.  But once they do see us, they get interested and start asking questions.  People get interested because I “run with my arms” and it gets them asking questions.  They see that you are out there and doing this and it’s amazing.  It inspires them.  During this race , the run director for the Peachtree Road Race, an annual 6.2 mile run in Georgia that takes place on the 4th of July, saw me and personally invited me to the event. He also waived the registration fee.  He said that they were going to open up the course to handcyclists for the first time and he wanted me to be there.”

What Are Your Hobbies?

“Handcycling and woodworking.  I give anything a try when it comes to woodworking!”

 What Inspired You To Serve In The United States Marine Corps?

“I didn’t know anyone in the military when I grew up. What inspired me was an identity crisis I had while growing up.  I hung out with people who had a lot of money, while I didn’t.  I thought that my best option to succeed would be by going into the military and that it would help.  So I decided to join the Air Force.  When I went to the recruiting station, the door was locked, so I went into the Marine Corps recruiting station that was nearby.  My strengths met their requirements and I liked what they had to say, so I decided to join.  A month after graduating from high school and taking the Marine Corps exam, I was on a plane to Parris Island, SC.  No one in my family knew I had joined.  It was one of those things where I just up and left!”

How Did You Find Hope For The Warriors®?

“I heard about Hope For The Warriors® when I participated in the annual Jacksonville Run For The Warriors® in 2010.”

What Is Your Favorite Part About Being On Team Hope For The Warriors®?

“I love the people.  They are really nice and the staff is fun.   I also like the fact that I get to participate with the warriors and share the experience with them.  It doesn't matter if you have PTSD or mobility issues- it’s not about competition; it’s about finishing the race and the accomplishment.  That’s what I like most.  That’s what it’s all about.”

What Has Been Your Favorite Race You Participated In And Why?

"I like all of them.  Besides competing with the warriors, the people are supportive and it’s about being able to go out there and do something after being told you aren't able to.”

What Would You Say To Other Wounded Warriors Interested In Joining The Team?

"Team Hope For The Warriors® events give hope to the participants. If you can get out there and do it, then go for it.  Do it in order to feel the excitement, to feel the accomplishment you haven’t been able to feel in a long time.  Just get out there and do it.  If you suffer from a physical disability, TBI, PTSD- people will not make fun of it.  When you get out there, you will inspire everyone around you.  When I hear the words ‘I can’t it just makes me upset because it is an excuse.”

Dean retired from the US Marine Corps on April 29, and looks forward to cycling in many races with the Team this year.  Next up for Dean is the Snickers Marathon in Albany, GA which will take place on March 3rd. 

Warrior Team Member Spotlight : John Masters

John celebrating after the 2012 Marine Corps Marathon

My name is John Masters and I was wounded in Afghanistan in 2010.  After being evacuated to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C.,  I spent the next several months laying in a hospital bed, thinking the usual thoughts one thinks in that situation.  As doctors informed me that the damage to my severely injured right hand was worse than initially thought and that they weren't sure how much, if any of it could be salvaged, my mind was ravaged with depression, concern, doubt and worry.  Having primarily physical actives as hobbies, I foresaw my future being bleak and boring, and saw rock climbing, cycling, weight lifting, racquetball and basically everything else I enjoyed as things of the past. 

This however was not the case. 

Through a long road of physical rehabilitation and lots of support from caring and compassionate people, I have been able to find adaptive means to still enjoy and peruse just about every interest I previously had. No one was more instrumental in this process than my friends at Hope For The Warriors®.  Their comforting and encouraging staff was at my bedside from the earliest stages of my recovery, wishing me well and letting me know of the opportunities awaiting me in the near future.  While lying in that bed thinking my physically active lifestyle was all but behind me, I had no idea that a year from then I would be crossing the finish line of my first marathon as part of Team Hope For The Warriors®.  Since that race, Hope For The Warriors® has continued to be an integral aspect of my recovery process. Whether it be competing with their athletic division or participating in one of their social events, I am always surrounded by positive encouragement and friendly faces that remind me just how blessed and lucky I am.  The benefit of being a member of Team Hope For The Warriors® is twofold as it is an avenue to maintain physical fitness but even more meaningful is the benefits to my spirit. 

Salute The Military Traithlon

Through this program I have made friendships that will last a life time and I been granted the opportunity to interact with some of the most amazing people I've ever met, both Hope For The Warriors® staff as well as other veterans I have met through the Team.  My once bleak attitude has been transformed as Hope For The Warriors® has filled me with a new outlook; one of excitement, friendship and hope.  They truly were the silver lining to my injury's storm.  No longer am I concerned with the challenges that come along with not having two fully functional hands because I know if I ever need one, Hope For The Warriors® will be there to lend me one.

John receiving the Hope & Courage Award at the 2012 Got Heart Give Hope Gala

Kid's Team Hope For The Warriors®

Kids Can Join The Fun!

2013 is going to be even better now that we are launching our new Kid’s Team Hope For The Warriors®!  Kids can join the Team for specific kid’s races noted on our Team Calendar.  Kids can also be involved in more ways than just racing.  Here are some other fun ways for the Kid’s Team to become fundraising all-stars!

Hold a Bake Sale

Bake sales are a super fun, easy and a scrumptious way to bring attention to a great cause! Bake sales can be held virtually anywhere from outside grocery stores, farmers markets, at yard sales and inside the mall.  You may want to have a themed bake sale for holidays such as Easter, Valentine’s Day, Christmas or even Veterans Day. Spice up your presentation with decorative bags, ribbons or boxes for your delicious treats! You may also want to offer coffee or other beverages to help raise some more funds and encourage customers to socialize.

Dog Wash

Almost everyone has a dog or loves dogs, so why not pamper these adorable pooches.  This event can be held in the parking lot of your community school or local grocery store or anywhere there is a concrete surface and a water supply. For this event you may want to rally up a few extra volunteers to make sure your dog wash runs smoothly. A great way to do this is to set up stations for each step of the dog wash; wash, rinse, and dry. A fun way to add a little extra sparkle to your event is to get bows and bandanas for the freshly pampered pups. This is really inexpensive. You can purchase ribbons and fabric at hobby stores or even any department store at a reasonably low cost. A fun way to maximize funds for your event is to have a snack bar not only for the owners, but for the dogs too! For the owners you can have bottled water, soda and snacks. For the pups, you can create small dog treat bags, an assortment of bones or even some donated toys.  Be sure to have all dog owners present vaccination records beforehand as participant safety is key in making this a successful fundraiser.

Car Wash

A car wash is always a simple and fun way to fundraise, but you want to make sure that your event stands out from the others!  You can spice up your car wash by providing a snack bar for your participants. This encourages everyone to get out of their car, socialize and to learn about Hope For The Warriors®. Your snack bar can include items such as candy bars, crackers, cookies, and bottled water, soda or juice boxes. These items can be purchased in bulk at a low cost or you may seek to have them donated.

Neighborhood Chores

Everyone has a list of tedious chores that never seems to quite get finished. What better opportunity to raise funds for our wounded service members and military families then to help out a neighbor. Set up signs and fliers in your local community offering lawn mowing, leaf raking, snow shoveling or even light housekeeping with proceeds going to Hope For The Warriors®.

The sky is truly the limit when it comes to fundraising opportunities for our Kid’s Team and we are here to help! Once you have your event planned, please let us know what you will be doing and we will send you your Kid’s Team fundraising kit with Hope For The Warriors® brochures, pins, stickers and temporary tattoos! We will also promote your event on our Team Facebook page!

For questions or more information, please contact Team Director Jenlene Nowak at jnowak@hopeforthewarriors.org

Calling All Of Our Amazing Volunteers!

We are gearing up for another exciting and  wonderful race season! The first on our list is the USA Nation’s Capital Rock ‘N’ Roll half and full marathon on March 16^th  in Washington D.C. and we need your help to make this weekend a success! 

We will need your awesomeness to help support the best Team around before and after the race at the Team tent! I know that we are a little ways out but please email your Team Coordinator, Courtney at cgately@hopeforthewarriors.org if you are interested! Our events always make for a fun weekend! We hope to see you there! Go Team!

Paralympic Sports Camp For Wounded Service Members

Lakeshore Foundation is pleased to announce the dates for its Introduction to Paralympic Sports Camp for injured military. The Introduction to Paralympic Sports camp will be held in Birmingham, Alabama from February 20-24, 2013. This camp is designed to expose servicemen and women who sustained their injuries post-9/11 to Paralympic sports. The participants will be led by Paralympic athletes and coaches in the sports of archery, biathlon, cycling, marksmanship (air rifle), sitting volleyball, swimming, tennis, track and field and wheelchair basketball. Participants also will have instruction on nutrition and strength and conditioning.

 

To be eligible for this camp, the service member must have sustained their injury during their time of service on or after September 11, 2001. Qualifying injuries include spinal cord injuries, vision impairments, amputations, traumatic brain injuries, burns and disfigurements. Travel, lodging and meals are at no cost to the service member.

 

To apply, interested applicants should contact Susan Robinson at susanr@lakeshore.org for an application or additional information. Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis and space is limited. An informational flyer and application is attached to this email.

 

The mission of Lakeshore Foundation is to serve individuals with physical disabilities and chronic health conditions to live healthy, active and independent lives. To learn more about Lakeshore Foundation, please click here.

 

 

Like them on Facebook!  http://www.facebook.com/lakeshorefoundation

January Newsletter

2013 Team Calendar

Check out the 2013 Team Hope For The Warriors® calendar!  If you are interested in joining the Team, please contact Jenlene Nowak at jnowak@hopeforthewarriors.org for more information.

 Kids Can Join in on the Fun!

2013 is going to be even better now that we are launching our new kid’s Team Hope For The Warriors®!  Kids can join the Team for specific kid’s races noted in the calendar above.  Kids can be involved in more ways than just racing.  Lemonade stands, pancake breakfasts- the sky’s the limit when it comes to fundraising ideas for kids!  For more information, please contact Jenlene Nowak at jnowak@hopeforthewarriors.org

Team Hope For The Warriors® Tampa

For the past two years, Team Hope For The Warriors® has participated in the Gasparilla Half Marathon.  This year, Hope For The Warriors® was selected as a charity partner with the Gasparilla Distance Classic Association and will receive part of the proceeds from the weekend of races.  The Gasparilla Distance Classic weekend has a 5K and 15K on Saturday, February 23rd and a half marathon and 8K on Sunday, February 24th.  We would like to have a sea of Team Hope For The Warriors® jerseys over the weekend, so be sure to register for one of the races at http://www.tampabayrun.com/.  If you are not already a TH4W member, join Team Hope For The Warriors® at http://www.hopeforthewarriors.org/story/18728026/team-hope-for-the-warriors to get your Team jersey and kit.  We will also have a Team dinner the Friday before the weekend at a local restaurant to be determined.

For all of the Team members down in the beautiful Tampa Bay area, you are invited to join our Tampa Team for their weekly group gathering and run on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. at Beef O’Brady’s on South MacDill. For more information, please contact Devin Young, Team Captain at tampah4w@gmail.com

Team Hope For The Warriors® Community Team Member Highlight: Dawn Benz

2012 Team Footprints And Running Groups:

11/11 Freedom Half (Norfolk,VA)

12/9 VA Runner Blue and Gray Half (Fredericksburg, VA)

Marathon Maniacs, #1993 (three marathons completed)

Half Fanatics, #57 (30 half marathons completed)

Crow Athletics (lifetime membership)

Southern Maryland Running Club

Average Joes Running (Oak Harbor, WA)

What Inspired You To Become A Part Of Team Hope For The Warriors®?

“I come from a military family. Both of my parents (AirForce and Navy), both of my grandfathers (Army and Navy), all my parent's siblings (Army, AirForce and Marines) and I have been married to a Navy Chief for 18 years.  I believe in supporting causes that do positive things for the military, veterans and their families.  What better way to combine two of my passions than a running team that supports the military?”

Fun Fact About About Dawn:

“I have created a small side business for myself creating a Navy Chief Santa Hats.”

2012 ING New York City Marathon Resolution

We wanted to thank all of the 2012 ING NYC Marathon Team Hope For The Warriors® members for their stellar fundraising efforts.  Rest assured, your donations have been 100% credited to Hope For The Warriors® and will be used to further our mission of enhance the quality of life for post-9/11 service members, their families, and families of the fallen who have sustained physical and psychological wounds in the line of duty. Hope For The Warriors® is dedicated to restoring a sense of self, restoring the family unit, and restoring hope for our service members and our military families.  Your donations will be used to implement the ten programs we currently offer to our service members and their families.  If you have not reached your $3,000 goal, Sarah Wilkens, Team Captain, will be in touch with you to work out a specific plan to reach your goal, depending on what option you choose above.  Please contact her at swilkens@hopeforthewarriors.org

The New York Road Runners have agreed on a solution for the cancelled 2012 ING NYC Marathon. 

MARATHON RUNNERS
2012 Marathoners may choose one of the following options:

·         Option #1 – Refund. While NYRR has always had a no-refund policy for the Marathon, given these extraordinary circumstances, we are offering runners who were entered in the 2012 Marathon, and were unable to run due to the cancellation ¹  , the opportunity to obtain a full refund of their 2012 Marathon entry fee (excluding the $11 processing fee); OR

·         Option #2 – Guaranteed entry to the ING New York City Marathon for 2013, 2014, or 2015. Entrants in the 2012 Marathon who choose this option will be granted guaranteed entry to the Marathon for the year they choose. Runners will be required to pay all processing and entry fees at the time of application (in the given year), with fees maintained at the same rate as those paid in 2012; OR

·         Option #3 – Guaranteed entry to the NYC Half 2013. Entrants in the 2012 Marathon who choose this option will be granted guaranteed entry to the NYC Half 2013, to be run on March 17, 2013. Runners will be required to pay all processing and entry fees at the time of application. Availability will be limited.

CHARITY RUNNERS
All runners who signed up to run the 2012 Marathon on behalf of Team for Kids or one of the official ING New York City Marathon charities and obtained their entry from NYRR will be offered the same options. The fundraising you did in connection with the 2012 Marathon will entitle you to any of the options above. If your 2012 Marathon entry fee was paid through your charity partner, you will be contacted directly by your charity.

Please click here for more details:  http://www.ingnycmarathon.org/resolution.htm

We are working with the ING NYC Marathon to get more information on how the charity bus and charity village will work for  the 2013, 2014 and 2015 marathons.  We will keep you updated with information as we receive it.

Thank you for your patience and for being part of the Team!

Become a Team Member for Life!

Join our General Community Team for $35 and become a Team member for life!  Membership perks include:

•        Team jersey

•        Team kit which includes fundraising and training plans that accommodate runners of all levels

•        Individualized online fundraising page

•        Team calendar

•        Monthly e-newsletter

               •        Access to the Team Facebook page, Team blog and Twitter feed

•        Invites to Team events

•        Weekly training opportunities with the DC Road Runners (DC area only)

•        Top Fundraiser Incentives

•        New Kid’s Hope For The Warriors® Team opportunities

•        Option to purchase additional Team gear

Click here to become a Team Member for life and support our nation's heroes!

For more information, please contact Jenlene Nowak at jnowak@hopeforthewarriors.org

 Team Gear

Keep warm in the winter months by sporting one of our Team hoodies!  Don’t forget that we also have Team running, cycling and triathlon jerseys to keep you looking good while you train for your 2013 races!  To order, please contact Courtney Gately, Team Coordinator at cgately@hopeforthewarriors.org

Gasparilla Distance Classic

For the past two years, Team Hope For The Warriors® has participated in the Gasparilla Half Marathon.  This year, Hope For The Warriors® was selected as a charity partner with the Gasparilla Distance Classic Association and will receive part of the proceeds from the weekend of races.  The Gasparilla Distance Classic weekend has a 5K and 15K on Saturday, February 23rd and a half marathon and 8K on Sunday, February 24th.  We would like to have a sea of Team Hope For The Warriors® jerseys over the weekend, so be sure to register for one of the races at http://www.tampabayrun.com/.  If you are not already a TH4W member, join Team Hope For The Warriors® at http://www.hopeforthewarriors.org/story/18728026/team-hope-for-the-warriors to get your Team jersey and kit.  We will also have a Team dinner the Friday before the weekend at a local restaurant to be determined.

Team Hope For The Warriors® Tampa 

For all of the Team members down in the beautiful Tampa Bay area, you are invited to join our Tampa Team for their weekly group gathering and run on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. at Beef O’Brady’s on South MacDill. For more information, please contact Devin Young, Team Captain at tampah4w@gmail.com