Skip to main content

Hollywood Heads to Washington, D.C. to Raise Awareness for a New Retreat for Wounded Warriors and Their Families

 Marty Papazian, Actor, Writer and Director of Least Among Saints to Headline Special Event for Boulder Crest Retreat in Bluemont, Va.

Marty Papazian will be the featured guest at a special event to help raise awareness about the challenges veterans face returning from war and to support Boulder Crest Retreat, a new rural sanctuary for wounded warriors and their families. More than 200 guests are expected to attend this special screening ofLeast Among Saints and hear Papazian speak about his film and commitment to raising awareness about veterans’ issues on Thursday, Feb. 21 from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at the United States Navy Memorial.

“I began encountering soldiers returning home in 2004 and I have been deeply moved by their sacrifices and the cost of war on their psyche and souls,” said Marty Papazian, actor, writer and director of Least Among Saints. “I am honored to help bring greater awareness to Boulder Crest Retreat that will help our nation’s wounded warriors and their families recover from the physical and invisible wounds of war.” 

The film, which focuses on a returning combat veteran’s struggle with the aftermath of his experiences during war, was just nominated for the PRISM award (feature film category) by the Entertainment Industries Council (EIC). Papazian will also donate his time and talent to Boulder Crest Retreat, appearing in public service announcements that will be filmed during his trip to the D.C.-area this week. www.leastamongsaints.com

Boulder Crest Retreat in Bluemont, Va., is a rural sanctuary being built for wounded warriors and their families to reconnect and recuperate as they go through the long recovery process from physical and mental injuries and trauma. The retreat is set to open in September 2013 and will host between 250-500 families per year providing free, ADA-accessible accommodations, recreational activities and wellness programs in a scenic and peaceful environment. The event is part of the ongoing fundraising efforts for the opening and long term-sustainability of the retreat.

“It is a real privilege to have Marty Papazian working to help support Boulder Crest Retreat, which will welcome and care for hundreds of our nation’s military families,” said Ken Falke, founder of Boulder Crest Retreat and a retired U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technician. “I am truly grateful to Marty and the many organizations and individuals who have contributed to helping us give back to those who have sacrificed so much.”

The retreat is completely privately funded and has a capital campaign to raise $10 million. While the retreat has crossed the halfway fundraising milestone, an additional $5 million still needs to be raised and support is very much needed.

For more information about Boulder Crest Retreat please visit www.bouldercrestretreat.org.

About Boulder Crest Retreat
Located just 50 miles outside of Washington, D.C., in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Bluemont, Va., Boulder Crest Retreat is a rural sanctuary for wounded military warriors and their families to enjoy non-clinical, recreational therapeutic activities aimed at assisting with their physical, mental and spiritual recovery. Currently under construction, the retreat is slated for opening in September 2013. Founded by Ken Falke, a retired U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technician, the Retreat is being developed on 37 acres of donated land, with funding and volunteer contributions coming from local and national corporations, non-profit organizations and private citizens. For more information about Boulder Crest Retreat, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, or to make a tax deductable donation, please visit http://www.bouldercrestretreat.org.

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Howard Hires Hannah-Jones

  Nikole Hannah-Jones reminds us all why HBCUs were created in the first place. (July 7, 2021) -  Howard University offered an olive branch to Jones when her own alma mater, the University of North Carolina, chose not to offer this great talent in journalism a tenured professor position. [ Alumus Ta-Nahisi Coates  joins Howard roster] ICYMI, Jones is the creator of The 1619 Project, a documentary that chronicles the early institution of slavery and its role in shaping the Americas we know today. Source: The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones. The Project has garnered both acceptance and criticism. Those who support the vision understand that the truths about slavery have, throughout American history, been either whitewashed, or not taught at all, diminishing the roles and treatment of the African nations who built it. Slavery, in all fifty states (including the ‘stateless’ District of Columbia) built an economic powerhouse infrastructure that caused the United State...
Post a Comment
Read more

DC Affordable Housing Realized?

 From the Office of DC Mayor, Muriel Bowser (Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser celebrated the opening of the Todd A. Lee Senior Residences at Kennedy Street, a 38-unit, all-affordable senior community located in the Brightwood Park neighborhood of Ward 4. All 38 apartments are for residents who are 55 or older and earn no more than 50 percent of the area median income. “The Todd A. Lee Senior Residences embody our DC values and represent the importance of having safe and affordable homes for our seniors to age in place, in the communities they know and love,” said Mayor Bowser. “Todd’s legacy will live on through the many families he helped stay in DC, through the innovative programs he created, and now through these beautiful homes for our seniors.” The Todd A. Lee Senior Residences are a result of a solicitation to transform vacant land into affordable housing by the DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) who also provided a $7.4 million loan from th...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Look Inside The Proposed African American History and Culture Museum

A ground breaking ceremony was held today at the site of the proposed $500 million dollar Smithsonian African American History and Culture Museum . The museum, slated to be completed in 2015, will house artifacts and memorabilia from the African American experience and will be built on the National Mall near the Washington Monument. Visitors can see a bit of everything, from the head protector of heavy weight champion Muhammad Ali (then called Cassius Clay), to a sign outside a doctor's office with a schedule to see which days the doctor would see Black patients, to the writings of Frederick Douglas. "Whether your family has been in this country 200 years or 20 minutes, I want you to come to this museum and say 'I get it', said Lonnie Bunch, founding director of the museum. "This is not a Black story.  This is an American story." Today's ground breaking ceremony saw many dignitaries attending, including former First Lady Laura Bush ; Washington...
Post a Comment
Read more