Window Campaign + Open House

As many of you know, we were blessed with amazing weather for the Open House this month. Serve Our Willing Warriors hosts an Open House at the beginning of every month and this was definitely one to remember.

Between the tulips fully blossomed and the freshly cut grass that rippled in the wind outside of the retreat home, the Bull Run mountains never felt so serene.

We had freshly baked cookies and briskly brewed lemonade waiting for all of our guests that arrived on the property. This was the first event however, that a majority of our visitors wished to stay outside as opposed to indoors.

As for the donated jungle gym in the front yard of the home, it was the first time that anyone other than the faithful girl scouts enjoyed its monkey bars and 3 level swings. It truly brought back childhood memories where there was not a care in the world other than that moment in time. And I believe this is how many other visitors felt too as we made over $700 just from holding the open house.

We simply expressed to our visitors about our recent discovery of the condition of the windows on the property. It turns out that all 76 windows in this retreat home originally built in 1977 have to be replaced. Each window will cost the non-profit $250.

$250 x 71 windows =  $17,750

with labor adjustments it would roughly be $20,000

Can you say yieks!? This price alone is double what it takes to install the elevator for the wheel-chair visitors of the retreat home.

Gladly by the end of the open house at least 2 windows were completely covered.

This inspired us to begin a Window Campaign. We would like our followers to pledge to one window a piece! One window at a time, we will make this dream a reality for our wounded vets.

Help keep the cold out and the sunshine in for our nations heroes. A window of opportunity for the Bull Run Warrior Retreat. 

Can we count on YOU for 1 of the 76 windows needed?

Sponsor one of these windows today for $250! here

http://www.gofundme.com/warriorwindows

the beautiful tulips of the retreat garden

architecture plans for the Bull Run Warrior Retreat

SOWW Volunteer Nancy giving an insightful tour of the property

Nancy leading the group through the BB&T sponsored room

alas! we have an elevator shaft

our refreshments for the afternoon

the basement den coming along nicely in the Bull Run Warrior Retreat

firewood to last the Bull Run Mountain's harsh winters

we are open for business!

the elevator shaft side angle; just beautiful!

lovely way to end the day swinging in the yards of the retreat home

Which window will you sponsor? :)

Haymarket Earth Day + Spring Festival

The town of Haymarket hosted the Annual Earth Day Celebration and Spring Festival this April.  Serve Our Willing Warriors had a booth at the event, which was located close to the infamous Cupcake Heaven of our old town. The rich history in this small town is absolutely compelling.

Serve Our Willing Warriors booth in downtown Haymarket VA

True or False: Our town of Haymarket is often referred to as "the crossroads: in the 1700's.”

TRUE!

Many of the historical buildings you see standing in the town of Haymarket have been standing there for three or more centuries. Now, during the transition into the technological era of the 21st century, the town is more important to local commerce than ever.  Yet, just a stone's throw away from the farms of Virginia's "horse country," the town takes great pride in preserving its historical buildings and even more importantly, its greenery and hillsides. And from this appreciation, the Annual Earth Day Celebration was born!

And don't we live in such a grand city?

the cutest little Haymarket residents enjoying a ice cone on this beautiful day!

Everyone was reveling in the beauty of the day like a bear awakening to a beautiful spring day after a long winter's hibernation. The beautiful weather brought out the most beautiful flowers. And you better believe that the great weather also brought out some of the most beautiful bikes!!... Motorcycles that is. 

rough riders for wounded warriors!

Tom Roselius promoting the Motorycle Poker Ride to an observer

the most rad and patriotic logo and headband to match

The SOWW team united their powers behind the booth to promote and inform everyone about our upcoming Motorcycle Poker Ride to benefit the renovation work now underway at the Bull Run Warrior Retreat.  The Retreat is located a few miles north of downtown Haymarket on Waterfall road and so we had a number of spectators who became openly interested in getting a tour of the property and donating towards the cause.

The best part of the day was simply being able to use the event to bring awareness to our neighboring community about what is going on right in their back yards! And remember, this is your back yard too. Don't be shy! We welcome anyone to come by and get a tour of the property.  In fact, please stop by the Retreat’s next Open House on June 8 from 1 – 3 p.m.   Just send us an email at info@willingwarriors.org to let us know you are coming.

SOWW Jazz Benefit Concert

On Friday, May 2nd, the Gainesville United Methodist Church hosted another benefit concert by Dave Detwiler + his band Prelude for Serve Our Willing Warriors.  In addition to the beautiful weather that greeted us at the Evergreen Country Club, the majestic scenery which accompanied the music was absolutely breathtaking.

Founder Shirley Dominick spoke as always great passion and emotion about the need to help our wounded warriors and the amazing progress Serve Our Willing Warriors has made to establish the Bull Run Warrior Retreat.  As a result of her talk, we had a marked increase in our participants at the SOWW cleanup day + Open House that same weekend!

We owe so much to Dave Detwiler and Pastor Patterson from Gainesville United Methodist Church for having this event for us.  By the end of the evening, SOWW had received more than $6,500 in donations and many more pledges to donate towards our cause in the future.

Dave Detwiler, is one of the most sought after “first call” lead trumpet players and music educators on the East Coast, yet he has been so humbling by showing his support SOWW.  His career has spanned over 32 long + masterful years and he continues to give back, never forgetting the 26 years he spent serving our Nation’s Armed Forces.

Pastor John Patterson of Gainesville United Methodist Church has also given to SOWW in ways we can never fully repay. The church as a whole has been a blessing to our organization and we thank them and look forward to working with them for the betterment of our home community!

Dave Detwiler and Prelude jazzing it up at the Evergreen Country Club

Shirley Dominick speaking about SOWW to the audience

ShirleyDominick and Mark Shifflette jazzing it up at the country club

doing the jive

and a big swing finish!

conversing all around :)

the SOWW jazz group!

Julie Burke and Shirley Dominick enjoying the jazz

John Dominick and Mike Burke strategizing for SOWW

and just when you thought the dancing was over...

she calls for another partner

beautiful sunset over the Bull Run Mountains at Evergreen Country Club

We would like to send out a special thanks to Prelude and the hospitable staff of Evergreen Country Club of Haymarket for the wonderful concert and all of their support.  Another great event for our Nation’s heroes!

A Happy Mother's Day to you + yours!

This image was taken at the Burnside Farms tulip garden right in Haymarket, VA. Be sure to bring mom by on Sunday + pick up some beautiful fresh flowers to brighten her Mother's Day! 

The Tale of the Car Sale

There are very few ventures that Serve Our Willing Warriors has yet to dive into in order to raise money. In this past year alone, we have dabbled in everything from golf tournaments, to yard sales, wine events and more! There is very little we wouldn't do to support our troops.

So believe me when I say some members of SOWW took on the role as car salesmen this past weekend.

Stop us if we've gone too far...

What follows is a short story of our adventure in the realm of sales / automobiles.

Our efforts seemed hopeless. It was all too much to take in. A kind couple donated a 1999 Buick to SOWW in the hope that we would be able to make a decent amount of money on the sale. We gladly accepted the car and took it to an organization that buys and sells used cars.  

 President Shirley Dominick with the couple who donated the 1999 Buick to SOWW

They informed us they would give us $300 for the vehicle. With no real experience on how to persuade the car salesman to reconsider, we were told take it or leave it.

So, we left it.

And onwards we went to find someone willing to give our little Buick a chance at another life among the highway.

Until, just then the answer appeared to us! It was square! It was bright! It was . . . The Craigslist website!

After doing research online, we estimated that the Buick would sell for about $2,200. Since we hadn’t done it before, it took us a while to figure out how to post anything on Craigslist, but when all was said and done, we posted the car for $1,600 knowing that someone may possibly bargain us down to $1,500. In any case, we were confident we could get more than the $300 we were quoted.

We clicked the button and simply hoped for the best. The car sold in only 30 MINUTES! Can you say Wow? ...

Shirley getting the car ready for the sale

When the man buying the car realized the cause the money was going towards, he paid the full amount of $1,600 in cash!

Officially handing the keys off to the new owner!

When we told the original owners of the car the great news they were so overcome with joy that tears welled up in their eyes. And I would be lying if I didn't say that tears were also welling up in our eyes!

SOWW team member, Debbie Shifflette, delivering good news to the donating couple

Another day, another opportunity to help our courageous troops.

God bless USA!