Building a monument to wounded warriors

Our nation’s wounded warriors need time to heal; and the rest of us need a place in which to reflect upon their sacrifice. Here’s David Martin:

It’s a thing of beauty designed to honor an ugly fact: the wounds of war. The name of Washington’s newest memorial — American Veterans Disabled for Life — makes the point.

Project director Barry Owenby gave Martin an advance look at the memorial, which opens next Sunday. It’s for disabled veterans of all wars, of whom an estimated three million are alive today.

“It doesn’t end with the war; they live with it forever,” Owenby said.

“They have a trauma of injury, a healing process, and then their rediscovery of purpose. So that’s the story that we’re trying to tell here.”

Blind Students Sail With Challenged America

BLIND & VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENT DO MORE THAN TAKE A RIDE AT CHALLENGED AMERICA

Imagine eight, nine and ten year old, blind and visually impaired elementary school students steering and trimming a sailboat all by themselves as the navigate they busy and tricky waters of San Diego’s Big Bay.

“We’re not a go-for-a-ride sailing program,” says Dave Meyer, volunteer coordinator of the therapeutic Challenged America program.  “These kids’ first-time experience sailing will be an instant reality happening as they learn to steer and trim the sails, even though they can’t see, with their sailing instructor sitting behind them in the two-person, Martin 16 sailboat.”

 

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Steve Muse, Victory of Spirit

An inspiring story, I have know Steve Muse for a few years now, I met him and Jennifer as a volunteer and photographer at Challenged America, I did not know the whole story until now, just bits and pieces.

When I was in the hospital a year and a half ago with the real possibility of losing my leg, Steve Muse and other Challenged America participants, Wounded Warriors were the inspiration that helped me keep positive during my stay, through my surgeries and year long recovery.

Steve loaned me one of his wheelchairs, set it up for me and gave me a form of mobility I did not have and I gained a whole new level of admiration for what he had and was achieving and gave me the strength to push my rehabilitation through the pain, through the ups and down.

Watch his story and if you are not inspired, nothing will.

Thanks Steve for everything, you will never know how big a part you played in my recovery, you are an inspiration..

Philippe Gadeyne

Steve Muse, victory of spirit

Steve Muse, Victory of Spirit

3rd Annual Tom Kirwan DASH to Chula Vista Benefiting Challenged America

In spite of the weather, the 3rd Annual Tom Kirwan DASH to Chula Vista Benefiting Challenged America was another success.

Six boats (12 sailors) raced an alternate 6.5nm course under the San Diego Coronado Bay Bridge and back after the first day’s race was cancelled due to high winds.

Sue Taetzsch and John Barba finished first, followed just 17 seconds later by Steve and Jennifer Muse and less than a minute later by Fernanda Castelo and Steve Edenson.

Special thanks to all the sponsors and donors (including Chula Vista Yacht Club and California Yacht Marina – Chula Vista) and especially to the many volunteers who helped make this a successful and fun event

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