Bluemont, Va. (PRWEB) August 12, 2013
Boulder Crest Retreat for military and veteran wellness, (http://www.bouldercrestretreat.org), a rural retreat for wounded warriors and their families, names Robert “Rocky” Bleier, Vietnam veteran and former NFL star, to its Honorary Advisory Board. Bleier’s personal experience, insight and dedication to supporting veterans will complement the work and mission of the new retreat that will provide free accommodations, recreational activities and programs for wounded military and their families.
“Growing up between Washington, D.C. and Pittsburgh, I remember Rocky on the football field well. I also remember announcers talking about his Vietnam service and his resilience,” said Ken Falke, chairman and founder of Boulder Crest Retreat. “It was guys like Rocky Bleier that drove me to enlist in the U.S. Navy after high school and spend the rest of my life serving the veteran community and we are very pleased to have him join the retreat’s advisory board.”
In 1969 Bleier was severely wounded by gunshot and grenade fragmentation to his legs while serving in the Army in Vietnam. Told by doctors that he would never walk again, Rocky went on to become an All-Star NFL running back and four-time Super Bowl champion. His personal perseverance and ongoing commitment to supporting veterans led to his selection to the board. Rocky will support the mission of the retreat with the same steadfast determination he showed in combat and on the field.
“Supporting our veterans is a top priority for me. Boulder Crest Retreat is a first-class facility and I am honored to sit on their advisory board beside some of our nation’s best military leaders,” said Rocky Bleier. “I am very excited to be able to be a part of the retreat and their support of veterans, active-duty service members and their families.”
Boulder Crest Retreat, located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Bluemont, Va., is built on 37-acres of land donated its founder, Ken Falke, a retired U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician and Master Chief Petty Officer and his wife, Julia. This nonprofit facility will offer free accommodations and recreational activities and programs to troops who are undergoing rehabilitation and outpatient treatment at local military hospitals and facilities. The retreat project, announced in October of 2011 with a $10 million capital budget goal, has almost reached the $6 million mark through donations from organizations and individuals from around the country.
Rocky joins the Honorary Advisory board for Boulder Crest Retreat in addition to former Secretary of the Navy, John Lehman; two former Chairmans of the Joint Chief of Staff, General (ret) Henry “Hugh” Shelton, USA and General (ret) Peter Pace, USMC; Admiral (ret) William J. Fallon, USN; General (ret) Norton Schwartz and former Congressman Ike Skelton.
Boulder Crest Retreat is set to open on September 6, 2013 with a public open house from 1– 9 p.m. For more information about the retreat, please visit http://www.bouldercrestretreat.org.
About Boulder Crest Retreat
Located just 50 miles outside of Washington, D.C., in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Bluemont, Va., Boulder Crest Retreat for military and veteran wellness is a rural sanctuary for military warriors and their families to enjoy non-clinical, recreational therapeutic activities aimed at assisting with their physical, mental and spiritual recovery. The retreat is set to open September 6, 2013. Founded by Ken Falke, a retired U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician, the retreat is being developed on 37 acres of donated land, with funding and volunteer contributions coming from local and national corporations, nonprofit organizations and private citizens. For more information about Boulder Crest Retreat, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, or to make a tax deductible donation, please visit http://www.bouldercrestretreat.org.