Operation Tohidu® Unveils New Challenge Course for Veterans Healing Retreats
October 15, 2019
NANJEMOY, MD, October 15, 2019 – At a ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 12 Melwood Veterans Services unveiled its new ropes challenge course which will serve as a key part of its healing retreats for injured veterans and active duty military.
The new course was built thanks to a generous donation from McCrea Heating & Air Conditioning. The company donated more than $65,000 that it raised at its annual Charity Golf Tournament. “We are extremely grateful to McCrea for supporting Operation Tohidu®,” Brigadier General Dave Blackledge, Executive Vice President of Melwood Veterans Services, said. “This new course will be an integral part of the Tohidu® experience and will complement other therapeutic activities that help veterans overcome any trauma they’ve been living with.”
Operation Tohidu®’s intensive week-long healing retreats help veterans and active duty military cope with post-traumatic stress, military sexual trauma, mild to moderate brain injury, and other service-related traumas, such as moral injury. The rehabilitative program combines outdoor activities and confidence-building exercises, with group discussion and other therapeutic modalities to help warriors, their spouses, and caregivers overcome obstacles to their recovery.
“I appreciate what Melwood Veterans Services and Operation Tohidu® is doing for veterans in our local community,” Shane Lanhardt, President of McCrea Heating & Air Conditioning Services of Maryland, said. “We hope the ropes course will help in the healing process for veterans for years to come and we thank Melwood Veterans Services for their work through Operation Tohidu®.”
“I appreciate what Melwood Veterans Services and Operation Tohidu® is doing for veterans, it is great to see all of this happening in our local community,” Shane Lanhardt, President of McCrea Heating & Air Conditioning said. “We hope the ropes course will help in the healing process for veterans for years to come and we thank Melwood Veterans Services for their work through Operation Tohidu®.”
Members of the Lanhardt family, who own the McCrea companies and are members of McCrea’s board of directors, joined the Melwood Veterans Services team at the ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday and enjoyed a fun day of barbeque and demonstrations on the new course.
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Contact: Sara Newman
Marketing & Communications Specialist 301-599-1972
About Melwood
Melwood is one of the largest employers of people with disabilities in the country, employing more than 1,600 workers – nearly 1,000 of whom are people with disabilities. Melwood offers job placement, job training, life skills for independence, and support services to more than 2,500 people each year in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Melwood also has an inclusive summer camp program for children and provides employment and support services to veterans and active-duty military members who have experienced service-related trauma or injury. For more information, visit www.Melwood.org.
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