Eighth annual event attracts over 30 celebrities and retired flag officers to join wounded service members for four days of competition and camaraderie
WALLACE, N.C. (August 11, 2017) – More than 30 retired flag officers and celebrities will join wounded service members to once again congregate in eastern North Carolina for the Hope For The Warriors Invitational, August 19-22, 2017. In its eighth year, the event brings together an unlikely group of friends to play golf and enjoy military traditions while embracing the culture and camaraderie that’s commonplace within the U.S. military. This year’s event will feature 18 retired flag officers ranging from one- to four-star generals, 15-plus celebrities and countless wounded service members. All proceeds from the event will benefit Hope For The Warriors, a national nonprofit dedicated to restoring self, family and hope for post-9/11 service members, veterans and military families.
“The Hope For The Warriors Invitational is upon us and this annual multi-day event has turned into a reunion of sorts for the flag officers, celebrities, and participants who look forward to the camaraderie and competition each year,” said Robin Kelleher, co-founder and president of Hope For The Warriors. “It has steadily grown over the last eight years with more friends joining us each time. The Invitational gives us all an opportunity to focus on the true celebrities among us-the service members, veterans and military families who have sacrificed for our freedoms.”
Residents of the Wallace, N.C., community will have their chance to support Hope For The Warriors by attending the Mad Boar Block Party to kick off the Hope For The Warriors Invitational weekend on Saturday, August 19. With the party spanning from 6 p.m. until midnight, the family-friendly event includes live music, autographs from MLB veterans Johnny Bench and Doug Flynn, beverage tents and more. Held outside at the Mad Boar Restaurant, tickets cost just five dollars and all proceeds will benefit Hope For The Warriors.
Over the course of the following three days, the flag officers, service members and celebrities will come together for a variety of activities to celebrate the traditions and camaraderie of our nation’s military, beginning with a traditional military mess. Presided over by Four-Star General William “Spider” Nyland, USMC (Ret.), Sunday’s “Warrior Night” is a night meant to share military traditions and the stories of our service members. By Monday morning, Major League Baseball (MLB) Hall of Famer Johnny Bench and his “Big Red Machine” teammate Doug Flynn will welcome the group as co-hosts of the Hope For The Warriors Invitational to kick off the annual celebrity golf tournament.
Attending the 2017 Hope For The Warriors Invitational will be celebrities from the MLB, National Football League, National Hockey League, NASCAR, and the music and entertainment industries. In addition to hosts Johnny Bench and Doug Flynn, the event will also feature “El Presidente” Dennis Martinez, former offensive linemen for the NFL’s Washington Redskins Ken Huff and Jeff Bostic, current NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Brandon Jones, from the NHL three-time Stanley Cup winner Aaron Ward, and the NBA’s Gerald Henderson and Jack Marin.
The impressive list of flag officers attending the 2017 Hope For The Warriors Invitational includes representatives from each branch of the military. Among them is Four-Star General William Nyland, USMC (Ret.), who served as the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps from 2002 until 2005.
For more information about this year’s Hope For The Warriors Invitational, visit hopeforthewarriors.org.
The Hope For The Warriors Invitational is made possible by Dell Computers (dell.com) and Murphy Family Ventures (murphyfamilyventures.com). The event will be held at River Landing (riverlanding.com), a private, gated, residential golf community covering over 1,700 unspoiled acres on the banks of the northeast Cape Fear River in Wallace, N.C.
About Hope For The Warriors:
Founded in 2006, Hope For The Warriors is a national nonprofit dedicated to restoring a sense of self, family and hope for post 9/11 veterans, service members and military families. Since its inception, Hope For The Warriors has served more than 13,000 through a variety of support programs focused on transition, health and wellness, peer engagement and connections to community resources. The nonprofit’s first program, A Warrior’s Wish, has granted 165 wishes to fulfill a desire for a better quality of life or support a quest for gratifying endeavors. In addition, Run For The Warriors has captured the hearts of more than 22,000 since 2010. For more information, visit HopeForTheWarriors.org,
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.