March Newsletter

Hi Team!  We hope that you’re having a wonderful spring so far and that you have been able to get out and train in the warmer weather.  The 2013 Team race season is in full swing and we couldn't be more excited! Here are some of the latest Team happenings!  

 Remembering A Dear Friend, Rick Leipold

This month, Hope For The Warriors® lost Rick Leipold, the Team’s beloved adaptive equipment specialist.  If you ever had the honor of meeting Rick at our Team events, he was absolutely someone you would remember.  Rick always had a big smile on his face and was a delight to be around.  He was a genuine person with a big heart.  He truly lived to serve and help others.  He especially loved his work with all of our service members. Rick’s unique way of working with our Team will be irreplaceable.  Although we have heavy hearts, we know that Rick will always be with us, cheering on our Warrior Team at every finish line. 

                                                        Gasparilla Distance Classic

Community Team members celebrate after the Gasparilla Distance Classic.

On February 23-24, the Team participated in the Gasparilla Distance Classic in sunny Tampa, Florida! This is the first year that Hope For The Warriors® was a part of this exciting event as a charity partner! This was also the very first race for our new Kid’s Team.  Our Team celebrated at a pre-race dinner at Beef ‘O’Brady’s on S. MacDill.  We are very grateful to Beef’s for hosting our dinner and for holding the Team’s weekly runs at their fine establishment.

Hope For The Warriors® staff present Beef 'O' Brady's with a token of appreciation.

A HUGE thank you to Devin Young, Tampa Team Captain, his wife Mirka and three children, for all their support through the year, and especially during the weekend of the event.  Our presence in Tampa is made possible because of all of their hard work and dedication to the Team and our organization.   

Incredible Tampa Team Captain, Devin Young and Team Director Jenlene Nowak relax after crossing the finish. 

Thank you to the Gasparilla Distance Classic for all of your support and for choosing us to be a charity partner!

Kid's Team Hope For The Warriors® members are all smiles before the race. 

USA Nation’s Capital Rock ‘n’ Roll Full & Half Marathon

Warrior Team members, Anthony Radetic and Dean Suthard, are ready to kick off the  race. 

The Team hit the streets of Washington D.C. Saturday, March 16 for the USA Nation’s Capital Rock ‘n’ Roll Full and Half Marathon.  While there were thousands of runners, Team Hope For The Warriors® had the only two handcyclists on the course! Warrior Team members, Anthony Radetic and Dean Suthard kicked off the race as the two handcyclists while representing the Team!  Incredible Community Team members John Henault and Marilyn Nicolas ran the half while Megan Schmidt and Michael Gawbill ran the full. This was also Megan's and Michael's first full marathon AND they were both the two top fundraisers! Way to go Michael and Megan! You ROCK!

Megan is all smiles during her very first marathon!

Flight delays may have caused Team Director Jenlene Nowak and Warrior Team member, Manny Jimenez to miss the USA Nation's Capital Rock 'n' Roll Half, but it didn't stop them from completing their own half marathon to honor our friend, Rick Leipold.

Community Team member, Michael Gawbill, celebrates at the Team tent after the finish.

Not only was the Team represented on the course, but our amazing volunteers were representing the Team at our tent after the finish line! A super big thank you to Anita, Anna, Carter, Dennis, Henry, Joelle, Julie, Massie, Paul, Tyler and Suzy for all of your hard work in making the USA Nation’s Capital Rock ‘n’ Roll a success! We couldn’t have done it without you!

Amazing volunteers Suzy, Julie and Anita welcome and congratulate runners at the Team tent. 

 Fantastic Community Team member, Marilyn and Team Coordinator, Courtney celebrate at the Team tent. 

New York City Half

The Nation’s Capital wasn’t the only city in which the Team was represented that weekend! On Sunday, March 17, there were even more amazing Community Team members hitting the streets of the Big Apple for the New York City Half! Congratulations to Jeff Mahalik who was the top fundraiser for this exciting race! A big thank you to all of our incredible Community Team members who represented the Team in NYC and worked so hard on reaching their fundraising goals! It is because of your amazing support that we are able to continue our mission in restoring self, family and hope to our wounded service members and military families! Thank you for all that you do!

Community Team member, Jessica Lagomarsino, poses for a picture with two of her biggest fans before the NYC Half. 

Cherry Point Half Marathon

Last weekend, the Team headed to Cherry Point, NC for the Cherry Point Half. It was an incredibly fun event with many Community Team members, Hope For The Warriors® staff and three Warrior Team members participating! Incredible Community Team and Staff member, Mona Simms won first in her age group! Mona wasn’t the only one picking up trophies at the finish line! Congratulations to amazing Community Team members, Paul Delamar and Mayra Espinosa for placing for your fantastic finishing times!

Incredible Community Team members Benita Delacruz and Mayra Espinosa at the Team tent before the race. 

Team Hope For The Warriors® was represented by both runners and handcyclists! Way to go Warrior Team members Sean Debevoise and Jorge Olalde and Community Team member Paul Kelly for representing the Team and for completing the half in spectacular times!  Warrior Team member Manny Jimenez also joined the Team running the half!

Warrior Team members, Sean Debevoise and Manny Jimenez pose alongside Community Team member Paul Kelly and Warrior Team member Jorge Olalde. 

More thanks go to Bruce Gentry and Tricia Bradley-Gentry from Crystal Coast Bicycles in Atlantic Beach, NC for working tirelessly in helping the Warrior Team with handcycle maintenance the day before the race.  Thank you for your fabulous work!

Ready to start cheering for the greatest Team around!

A big thank you to amazing North Carolina Hope For The Warriors® staff for getting up bright and early to support the Team! We couldn't have made the weekend a success without you. Thank you so much for your hard work, dedication and support!

Wonderful staff and Team member, Mona Sims, wins first in her age group!

Team Events Coming Up

 Pittsburgh Half and Full Marathon, May 4-5 (Sold Out)

 TD 5 Boro Bike Tour, May 5 (Sold Out)

 Carl Hart Mother’s Day Duathlon, May 12

To register, please click here.

Salute To The Military Sprint Triathlon, May 26

All Hope For The Warriors® family and supporters get 30% off their registration with code: hfw30! To register for this exciting event, please click here.

Warrior Team Member Highlight: Ryan Anderson

Warrior Team Members Since: 2010

When Did You Enlist In The Marine Corps? 

“I enlisted in the Marine Corps on 8 December 2003 and deployed 28 August 2006 until 17 March 2007 and 22 February 2008 and returned on 28 May 2008.”

How Were You Wounded?

“I was exposed to a total of seven IED blasts in a three day period. We were conducting Route Clearance in the vicinity of Al Taqqadam when I was blown up.”

What Were Some Of The Challenges You Faced When You Were Wounded?

“When I was first wounded the big problems were realizing that I am not Superman. I had memory issues, balance issues, and speaking issues. It took the rehabilitation and time to get back to a good stable ground.”

How Did You Find Out About Hope For The Warriors®?

"I was introduced to Hope For The Warriors® in 2009 at the Run For The Warriors® in which I walked with my service dog, Rivka. I became a member of the Team Hope For The Warriors® in July 2010 when I received my handcycle and started racing in September 2010 at the Marine Corps Half Marathon."

How Has Your Rehabilitation Through Team Hope For The Warriors® Been?

“My rehabilitation through the Team has been two fold; it has been physical as well as mental. Knowing that I am part of an organization that has been through similar situations helps tell me that I am not alone. I am not the only one. Physical it has shown me that I can do things that I thought I would never be able to do. Now that I realize what I am able to do, I work out more now than I did before I got hurt.”

How Are You Doing Today?  Do You Feel That Your Athletic Pursuits Helped Your Physical Recovery?  How?

“ I am feeling great today. Now that I see what I was missing during the years that I wasn’t able to work out, I continue to live life like I won't be able to work out again. My athletic pursuits have definitely helped in my physical recovery because I now realize that I can do things that I haven’t done. Three years ago, I didn’t think that I would be able to run a physical fitness test again and now I am going to run a half marathon in May 2013.”

What Are Your Future Plans In The Marine Corps?

“My future plans in the Marine Corps are to continue on and retire from the Marine Corps. I also plan on continuing my physical attributes and improving every day.”

Are you following us on Twitter and Instagram?

Did you know that you can keep up with the latest in Team happenings by following us on Twitter @TeamH4W and Instagram @teamh4w? The next ten people to follow us on either Twitter or Instagram will be entered in a chance to win a Team t-shirt!