When my husband was injured we spent a lot of time at Portsmouth Naval Hospital, Bethesda Naval Hospital and Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The thing that made the biggest impression on me during the time I spent in the waiting rooms were all the young men and women I saw in wheel chairs, using crutches, or missing arms or legs. I remember sitting next to one family in the neurology waiting room and the young man had a scar that went all the way across his head. You could tell by watching him that he had severe difficulties communicating and it didn’t seem hopeful he would ever fully recover.
My heart broke for these young service members. I couldn’t imagine losing so much so young. I wish I had time to talk to every one of them, listen to their stories, and thank them for their sacrifice.
When Cracker Barrel contacted me and asked if I would spread the word about their partnership with the Wounded Warrior Project I was thrilled to help in this small way. If you aren’t familiar with the Wounded Warrior Project it is an organization that provides programs and services to severely injured service members during the time between active duty and transition to civilian life. According to their website, the Wounded Warrior Project’s goals are:
- To raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women,
- To help severely injured service members aid and assist each other, and
- To provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of severely injured service members.
I visited the website and was immediately drawn to the Meet the Warriors section of the site. I couldn’t stop reading their stories and was amazed by their perseverance. Each one of them had a reason to fight, a reason to live, and were prepared to die. These warriors not only had a physical loss, they lost their military careers as well. The Wounded Warrior Project is a great resource for those who are leaving the military due to an injury.
Wynonna Judd has joined Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® in its support of Wounded Warrior Project with the release of Love Heals, a collection of Wynonna’s top singles and three other tracks not available until now. On May 24, 2010, a portion of the proceeds from each Wynonna CD and Wounded Warrior Project products found in Cracker Barrel Stores will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project. Plus, Cracker Barrel will double the donations of products sold between May 24 and 31, 2010.
I have a Wounded Warrior gift basket donated by Cracker Barrel to giveaway. (Full disclosure- they gave me one too) Because I want to raise awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project, I am asking you all to help spread the word. To enter to win this great gift basket, which includes a $25 Cracker Barrel Gift Card, you can leave a comment, Tweet about this giveaway, Facebook about this giveaway, or tell your friends. For each entry leave a separate comment. Giveaway ends May 24, 2010.
photo of Michael Buyas courtesy of Wounded Warrior Project.
Oh what a great giveaway! I love Cracker Barrel, I’ve heard lots of great things about the Wounded Warrior Project.
I tweeted about the giveaway (http://twitter.com/sespi/status/14334315009)
And I told my friends about the giveaway (via Google Reader)
Great giveaway, I’m going to go read the “Meet the Warriors” section.
People don’t realise how much of an impact it actually has
Sounds like a neat thing.
Sounds like a great project! Honestly, I wish I did more to support our soldiers. it is easy for our nation to forget the wounded who are no longer able to serve. thanks for the giveaway!
what a great effort – off to check out the website
What a great idea!
Such an important project! thank you.
What a wonderful project! My father was a Marine for 27 years, and the military always holds a special place in my heart.
Great project. I posted it on my blog this morning for you.
http://mrststhoughtsfromatitus2mom.blogspot.com/2010/05/wounded-warrior-project-cracker-barrel.html
I tweeted. And I tried to leave it at that, but the comment was rejected as being “too short” and I was instructed to “go try again”! Ha! Did you set that up on purpose?
I facebooked. But that’s probably too short, too.
I am so glad that your husband has recovered from his injuries. And I simply couldn’t imagine going through what those young men and women and their families go through, each and every day. God bless them.
I love this project! I went to the University of South Carolina and one of our football games “sponsored” this cause. They sold shirts (much like the one in the gift basket) for fans to wear. The players wore special jerseys for the game with camouflage on the shoulders and had on of the words: Courage, Honor, Duty, Commitment, Integrity, Country, or Service where their last names normally would be. I know the University of Maryland put forth a similar effort the same weekend. I hope to see them and more universities continue this effort next year!
What a great project. My husband just retired after spending 20 years in the Air Force, much of the time being away from our family. Our four kids are happy that Dad is home safe and sound. I pray for those folks who are risking their lives and are away from their families to protect our country.
great giveaway, and a great cause! thank you for your support of the soldiers!
I Facebooked this page as well….and spelled my name right too!
Christine Smith
I tweeted about this giveaway
I support our troops! Great give away and great cause!
great giveaway! great program
wow, what a great program for the men and women who serve our country! i feel more and more blessed to have a healthy active duty spouse these days…
God Bless you for informing us! What a wonderful program. But I would like to know what percentage goes to the Wounded Warrior Project?
What a great project!!!
What a great project!! Would love to win!!
I love cracker barrrel and will tweet about this. The army wives had Wy on last week. It is ashame after serving their country they no longer have a career. I have had friends that were hurt pretty bad there but luckily retired. Thanks for bringing awareness to these brave men and woman.
I am fwd your email to all my friends, thanks so much for bringing this organization to our attention.
What a great project. Thank you for sharing as I have not heard of this before. I will definitely check out the website and share this on my facebook page.
What a wonderful giveaway to raise awareness. I think we have become immune or at least less aware of what our military continues to do. My son is currently in ROTC at USC and I know that it could be my child hurt – never forget that is someone’s child making the sacrifice for us.
I’ve been hearing about this organization for a while and meaning to look into it. Thanks for bringing into light!
hi i shared on facebook!
What a great give away, and for such a great cause!
What a great project! What a great way to show appreciation for our military and help those who are wounded.
What an awesome cause! I’m very thankful that my husband was not injured during his three tours to Iraq, but realize that he could’ve been.
What a great idea to help our soldiers. Thanks for participating = ]
I never heard about The Wounded Warrior Project until now. I wanted to thank you for enlightening me with this wonderful resource!!
What a great cause! Service men and women have so many scars whether emotionally or physically. It really is heart breaking! Thank you for reminded me!
WHAT AGREAT IDEA!! AND GIVEAWAY!!
I FB ABOUT THE GIVAWAY
I would love to win!
I told my mom and sis!
Fun giveaway! I’m off to check out the website now. Thanks.
This sounds like a great organisation! Thank you for sharing about them!
Oh what a wonderful orginization. This is a great give away
This is an excellent program and helps out so many people.
How amazing, what a wonderful group of people. How was your husband injured. we are in the middle of our seventh deployment and so this is close to my heart
Such a great giveaway, we will be sure to eat at CB on the 24th and make a donation. We love Cracker Barrell and supporting our Wounded Warriors.
Wow ,what a great give giveaway. My husband was also wounded, not a life threatning wound. But we have also have seen and spent alot of time at both hospitals as well. My husband was temporaily retired for a brief period ,now we are back on active duty…and still being seen at both hospitals. We are closer now being sationed in D.C.. I just wanted to say” Thank you” , to you and Cracker Barrel for this~!
Blessing’s
Ann
What a great program.
Thank you so much for your work with this project. My husband is active duty overseas now, and I am well aware of this project and all of the wonderful things that they do for our wounded soldiers and families. I salute Cracker Barrel for their support! I will tell my fb friends about this project and the giveway!!!
What a great project/orginaization!
Wow… I’m just going to cry now.
Thank you so much for posting about this. My brother recently returned from Iraq, and my 14 year old daughter just joined ROTC, and plans to pursue a career in miltary.
What a great program to support! I will be posting this on my facebook account. My whole family is military and we know how much support matters to our troops!!! Thanks for Sharing and I love Cracker Barrel!
I love Cracker Barrel and will look for these items next time I go.
Thank you for the opportunity.
What a great organization! Thank you for posting and for the give away
What a YUMMY place to eat and to support a good cause!
Love this! I see quite a few Wounded Warriors here (Husband is stationed at Fort Hood), including in my neighborhood. I wish I could give more to the project!
Shared on Facebook!
Tweeted as well. http://twitter.com/sorandom/statuses/14379257869
I really hope this helps bring more attention to the WWP. I like to share things like this for that very reason.
I love Cracker Barrel, but even more I love the sacrifices the men and women of our military make for us on a daily basis. I hope I win.
That’s AWESOME!
What a great program. I made sure to post about it on my facebook! It is nice to see a company willing to help these Heros.
With having the vast majority of my family in the military, I think Wounded Warriors is a fabulous idea & program.
I can’t stop reading their stories. Thanks for spreading the word about this wonderful program to support our troops!
What a great program! We love Cracker Barrel and it’s just awesome they support Wounded Warriors.
Thanks for promoting a worthy cause.
Praise God my husband wasn’t wounded during his time in Iraq. I am so thankful for the wonderful organizations, like Wounded Warrior, who help our brave men and women in the armed forces.
Awesome! What a neat idea.
A former neighbor’s son went to Iraq a while ago and came back last year. Thankfully he came back ok, but one of his buddies spent time in Bethesda. Our Girl Scout troop send our Gift of Caring cookies to soldiers in the Army every year.
I shared on my facebook fan page. I thought it was a worthwhile cause as my husband in the military. http://www.facebook.com/HouseWise?v=wall
I tweeted about this.
I’m working on The Write It Out Project for military widows started by an Iraqi war widow. Perhaps you would be interested in helping. http://secretsofmom.blogspot.com/2010/05/crafting-with-purpose-write-it-out.html
What a great cause and giveaway!
What a fantastic project! I’ll be happy to spread the word.
Tweetwed! searching4
I am aware of The Wounded Warrior project. A good program to help our wounded soldiers.
I Facebooked about this project.
great project for cracker barrell
What a great thing for our wounded soldiers. They have given so much. It’s great that such a well known company is getting behind this program and promoting it.
thank you for bringing this to our attention.
would love to win this
Wow, what a great story, and thing to participate in. My Fiance is in the Army and I would love to know find out more about this organization. Thank you for sharing and spreading the word.
That’s Awesome!
My husband is in the military. What these people protecting our freedom and their families sacrifice is amazing. My husband loves Cracker Barrel too! This is a wonderful effort to support. Thank you to all our military members and thanks to your family for their sacrifices also!
What a wonderful cause. My best friends husband is currently on Duty in Iraq and it’s so important to support all our Service men & women everywhere. Thank you!
What an awesome giveaway
My friend lost her husband this week. If I win I will pass it on to her! Thanks for spreading the word.
Thanks for raising awareness for this project. I had never heard of it before attending my family reunion last year where I found out a few family members had held a poker run fundraiser for them. Got the T-shirt!
Thanks so much for the giveaway! I would love to win!
Maybe your readers would like to also support our wounded warriors this summer, in the sun, via “Road Warriors 2010″…a VERY cool way to raise money for our wounded troops and their families. The idea to to log 100 sponsored miles of run, walk, hike or bike at your own pace, in your favorite places from Memorial Day to Veterans Day. We had our local Kick Off Event in Pleasanton CA on May 23rd and I was blown away with how many people were into the idea of putting their regular training and outdoor miles to use for our military heroes. If you would like to be a part of this outdoor adventure, log onto http://www.roadwarriors2010.blogspot.com. We’d love to have families, churches, riding and running clubs as well as any big hearted individual take part. Thanks for your wonderful site. Candyce, event organizer in Pleasanton CA