News

OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

From: Hope For The Warriors®

Contacts: Bevin Taylor, 910.546.0076 or bevin@hopeforthewarriors.org

Piedmont Massage donates time, talents to wounded heroes

Free massages provided to members of Team Hope For The Warriors™ after Marine Corps Marathon

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 2010—Students from The Piedmont School of Professional Massage, Dale City, VA, provided free finish line massages to more than 120 members of Team Hope For The Warriors® at the 2010 Marine Corps Marathon held October 31, 2010 in Arlington, VA. A group of six students and two instructors donated their time and talents in the Team’s Charity Village tent. Eleven combat wounded Team members completed the race in addition to the more than 100 community Team runners who ran to raise funds and awareness for Hope For The Warriors®, a national nonprofit that supports wounded U.S. service members, their families and the families of the fallen.

“Hope For The Warriors® is extremely thankful to Piedmont Massage for their support of Team Hope For The Warriors™ and our mission to ensure that no sacrifice is forgotten nor need unmet for these combat heroes,” said Robin Kelleher, President, Hope For The Warriors®. “Piedmont’s donation of time and talents represents the best of American patriotism and ensures our combat heroes that the community still stands ready to acknowledge and honor their sacrifices.”

Hope For The Warriors® sponsors U.S. service members whose injuries were incurred in the line of duty as they take on new challenges as adaptive athletes. Team members include Marine Cpl. Matt Bradford who suffered the loss of both legs and his vision in Iraq. He was guided on the course by a fellow Marine on a hand cycle and knocked more than an hour off his 2009 finish time.

Other team members on hand cycles included GySgt. Matthew Austin, USMC; Maj. A.J. Tong, USA; CW4 Chris Hedgcorth, USMC (ret); Sgt. Daniel Casara, Army National Guard; Sgt. Sean Debevoise, USMC (ret); Sgt. Stephen Smith, USA; Staff Sgt. John Masters, USA; and Staff Sgt. Stephen Valyou, USA. Two team members completed the race on foot; CPO Sean Brooks, USN, and LCpl. Matthew Tooker, USMC, both suffered upper body gunshot wounds.

More than 100 community Team members also raced in Sunday’s marathon to raise funds and awareness for Hope For The Warriors®. Funds raised by these charity bib runners go towards travel and equipment expenses for the Team’s adaptive athletes, as well as support a range of programs which enhance the quality of life for U.S. service members and their families who have been adversely affected by injuries or death in the line of duty. For the second year in a row, the VT Group joined Hope For The Warriors® in their mission with sponsorship of the Marine Corps Marathon Team.

The Piedmont School of Professional Massage was founded by Alan Coyne and James D. Weiler in January of 1995 as a private vocational technical school to provide professional training in massage/bodywork. The school has since been incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia was approved by the Department of Education to receive Veteran’s Educational benefits. For more information, go to www.piedmontmassage.com.

The 2010 Marine Corps Marathon continues a 35-year tradition of running through our nation’s Capitol. Known as the People’s Marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon sells out annually and is the 8th largest marathon in the world.

The mission of Hope For The Warriors® is to enhance quality of life for U.S. service members and their families nationwide who have been adversely affected by injuries or death in the line of duty. Hope For The Warriors® actively seeks to ensure that the sacrifices of wounded and fallen warriors and their families are never forgotten nor their needs unmet.

Hope For The Warriors® (Federal Tax ID 20-5182295) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity as defined in sections 509(A)(1) and 170(B)(1)(A)(VI) of the Internal Revenue Code. Combined Federal Campaign, CFC #27800.