>JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Jan. 26 /PRNewswire/ — Severely injured veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will visit Whitefish, Montana to learn to ski and snowboard using adaptive equipment. This is the second year in a row that the Whitefish Mountain Resort and the community of Whitefish have welcomed Wounded Warrior Project alumni. “We hosted our first group of wounded warriors in 2009, and it was a transformative experience for everyone involved,” said Whitefish Mountain Resort Public Relations Manager Donnie Clap. “Our staff and volunteers can’t wait to meet this year’s warriors.”
Following the success of last year’s event and thanks to the generous support of the Whitefish Mountain Resort and the Whitefish community, wounded warriors from around the United States will spend five days in Northwest Montana receiving professional, adapted instruction on how to ski. A grant from OritaniBank Charitable Foundation of New Jersey is making it possible for several New Jersey area warriors to attend the event.
“We are extremely grateful for the service and sacrifices our veterans have made and are making every day,” said Kevin J. Lynch, CEO and Chairman of Oritani Bank. “This year we devoted a large part of the Foundation’s efforts to veteran’s causes. We were honored to support the Wounded Warrior Project.” The bank’s grant serves to honor the memory of Marine Sergeant Mathew Fenton of Little Ferry, NJ, the son of a longtime bank employee, who was killed in action in Iraq in 2006.
Warriors at the event will also have the opportunity to participate in other winter activities such as dog sledding and snowmobiling. “We do everything we can to help our men and women in uniform get out on the slopes, from lift ticket discounts to free equipment rentals,” said Whitefish Mountain Resort CEO Dan Graves. “The Wounded Warrior Project is a natural extension of that, and we’re proud to host them.” Warriors will also be hosted by various area restaurants and community residents for meals and will be participating in the annual Winter Carnival parade and penguin plunge.
Organized by local Whitefish businesses, veterans, residents and the Wounded Warrior Project, this event promotes healing for the warriors through physical activity and camaraderie which aid in their rehabilitation and successful transition to civilian life.
About Wounded Warrior Project
The mission of the Wounded Warrior Project is to honor and empower wounded warriors. Its purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured service members, to help severely injured men and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, apolitical organization headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. To get involved and learn more, visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
About Oritani Bank
Oritani Bank is a 99 year old community bank with over $2 billion in assets, based in the Township of Washington, New Jersey. Oritani Bank is a publicly held Mutual Holding Company trading on the NASDAQ with the trading symbol “ORIT.” Oritani Bank has 21 branches throughout Bergen, Hudson and Passaic Counties, and offers a full line of deposit and loan services to both retail and commercial customers. For more information, call 888-ORITANI, or visit their website, www.oritani.com.
The OritaniBank Charitable Foundation was established in 2007 to assist not-for-profit organizations that help to improve the quality of life for residents in Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic counties. Since its inception, the Foundation has donated close to a million dollars to local charitable organizations, primarily in support of education, health & human services, youth programs, and affordable housing.
About Whitefish Mountain Resort
For more than 60 years, Whitefish Mountain Resort has been America’s favorite destination for good times, great people, and deep snow. Boasting more than 3,000 acres of bowls, chutes, and glades, and more than 300 inches of Rocky Mountain snow on average, Whitefish’s Big Mountain is the quintessential skier’s mountain. Ranked #19 in SKI Magazine’s annual reader survey, #6 for Scenery and #7 for Value, it is just as well known for a pleasant lack of lift lines as it is for friendly people, deep powder, and wallet-friendly pricing. Call 877-SKI-FISH or visit skiwhitefish.com for more details.
SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project
RELATED LINKS
https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org
I am the primary organizer of this event in conjunction with the Wounded Warrior Project. My primary residence is in Ridgewood and my second home is in Whitefish, Montana. I am pleased to report that this year’s event will include at least four disabled veterans from New Jersey. Please follow this link for more information
Thank you,
Steve Shea
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
