Willing Warriors Opens the Doors to the PenFed Grand Lodge

HAYMARKET, VA — Despite the weather, nearly 300 people celebrated the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new PenFed Grand Lodge on Saturday, May 18, at the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run. This event was a testament to the community’s support and the importance of the Willing Warriors mission.

PenFed Credit Union and PenFed Foundation provided $500,000 in matching funds to bring the vision of the Grand Lodge to life. Community partners, including Lockheed Martin, JANSON Communications, Micron Technology, Strategic ACI, Contract Solutions, Inc., the Neal Nichols Family Foundation, and the Robert Trent Jones Foundation, have sponsored rooms, demonstrating their unwavering support for Warrior families. General Carter Ham and Christi Ham sponsored The Patriot Pavilion, an extraordinary outdoor space, which symbolizes their dedication to creating a space for healing and growth. The addition of the Grand Lodge will serve at least 600 more Warrior families annually.

Left to right: Shaun Anderson, Terrance Westerfield, Corliss Udoema, Colonel James Quinn, John Dominick, David Forkner, Shirley Dominick, Christi Ham, General Carter Ham, Captain Brittany Wooten, and Chuck Berge.

Since 2015, the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run has hosted over 2,400 Warriors and their families to reconnect, relax, and rejuvenate. The newly opened PenFed Grand Lodge and two other retreat homes are nestled on a 37-acre property that provides the peacefulness and serenity Warriors need. On- and off-site activities focus on bringing the family closer together, with family bonds at the forefront of the Willing Warriors mission.

Learn more about Willing Warriors and how to get involved by visiting willingwarriors.org.

Photos courtesy of Willing Warriors.

Posted on: May 20, 2024