Wounded Warriors Hit the Slopes With Veterans Charity

Veterans and their guests gathered to bond with other warriors and play winter sports during a day ski trip on Beaver Mountain with Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP). Veterans with injuries could opt for adaptive winter equipment to help them enjoy the slopes better.

"I thought this would be a great opportunity to get out and do something with other veterans," said Air Force veteran Chris Lines. "I met some great warriors while snowboarding and enjoying the great outdoors."

Activities like skiing and socializing with other veterans can help injured warriors cope with stress and emotional concerns. In a WWP survey (https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/survey) of the injured warriors it serves, more than half of survey respondents (51.6 percent) expressed they talk with fellow veterans to address their mental health issues, and 30.3 percent indicated physical activity helps.

"Wounded Warrior Project provided me with much-needed information about benefits and opportunities available to me in my area," Chris said. "I also talked to many of the other warriors on the mountain, and I benefitted from hearing their stories and experiences, especially from those who live in the area."

WWP program gatherings offer settings that provide opportunities for injured veterans to form bonds with one another and their communities. WWP also serves warriors by focusing on mental and physical health and wellness, financial wellness, independence, government relations, and community relations and partnerships.

"Wounded Warrior Project gives me a community of supporters to depend on regardless of where I go," Chris said. "I currently live in Utah and would like to see some of my new friends at activities in the state, even if they are simply just loosely organized hikes. Their camaraderie and the activities mean a lot to me."