Wounded Warriors Benefit Supports Bay Area Service Veterans
THROUGH QL+ AND NCEFT
Second Annual Benefit, slated for September 11th 2011 at Menlo Polo Club
Features Polo Matches, Wine Tasting, Silent Auction
Atherton, CA, August 8, 2011 — Honoring combat soldiers on the tenth anniversary of 9/11, the Wounded Warriors Polo Benefit (WWPB) (www.woundedwarriorspolobenefit.org) will be held on Sunday September 11, 2011 from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Menlo Polo Club in Atherton. Now in its second year, WWPB raises funds for physical rehabilitation of severely injured American soldiers returning from combat duty in Afghanistan and Iraq.
This year the tournament will benefit two local organizations that rely on charitable donations to assist injured veterans: the National Center for Equine Facilitated Therapy(NCEFT) in Woodside, California, which provides equine and hippotherapy to disabled veterans, and Quality Of LifePlus (QL+), a non-profit that designs and provides customized prostheses for injured veterans, with the support of private donors and the skills of engineering students from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
The WWPB 2011 will feature:
§ Opening ceremony with Color Guard, bagpipes and the National Anthem
§ Wine tasting with wines by leading local wineries
§ Two fast-moving polo games played by top Bay Area Players
§ Gala luncheon for VIP Benefactors catered by Menlo Circus Club
§ Chandon ™ Divot Stomp at half time
§ Carriage Driving Display
§ Silent Auction
§ Closing ceremony with Taps.
The WWPB benefit, sponsored by St. Francis Commandery (Order of St. John, Knights Hospitaller) (OSJ) and hosted at Menlo Polo Club is a US Polo Association sanctioned event. Last year this benefit in Santa Rosa attracted more than 400 spectators and helped raise $20,000 for NCEFT and The Pathway Home in Yountville. Tickets for the WWPB 2011 are available at www.woundedwarriorspolobenefit.org.
“I sustained injuries to my spine and have benefitted greatly from the NCEFT equine therapy program for veterans, and I’ve also seen firsthand how this program has achieved remarkable results in alleviating symptoms from physical injuries and PTSD among my fellow Marines and Bay Area soldiers. The Order of St. John’s ongoing support for this and other programs is vital to helping injured Bay Area veterans’ rehabilitation,” said Jarom Vahai, who served as a US Marine Sergeant in two tours in Iraq.
“In the ten years since the atrocity of 9/11, American troops have been deployed overseas to prevent a repeat of this tragedy. Many have given their lives to keep us from harm and many more have been severely wounded and traumatized. On the tenth anniversary of 9/11 and the 70th anniversary of the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor, we are very pleased to be holding this tournament in the Peninsula this year, to increase community awareness and support for our wounded troops,” said Major General Richard E. Keith (ret), Commander of the St. Francis Commandery and a distinguished second world war airborne veteran.
“We are looking forward to some exciting polo on 9/11 and hopefully to winning this prestigious benefit tournament again,” said experienced local polo player Jef Graham, who led “The Knights” polo team to victory at WWPB 2010.
About The Contributors to WWPB 2011:
The St. Francis Commandery, Order of St. John (OSJ) is part of an historic Christian Order of Chivalry that traces its roots back to the Crusades in the late 12th century. The St. Francis Commandery, a non-profit 501(c)(3) based in San Francisco, is comprised largely of retired officers of the Armed Services.
The St. Francis Commandery provides financial support for programs that rehabilitate Americans injured in the line of duty in Afghanistan or Iraq. Past beneficiaries have included the non-profit Pathway Home, treating PTSD cases in Yountville, CA; NCEFT, and Sentinels of Freedom Foundation, helping wounded veterans get re-established in life after discharge from the services. www.osj-sfc.org .
NCEFT in Woodside, CA offers supplemental rehabilitation services to active duty personnel and veterans using equine and hippotherapy. This program is completely funded by donations — no cost to the participants or the federal government.
Quality of Life Plus (QL+) www.qlplus.org: is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that undertakes research and development of prosthetics and other innovative devices to improve the quality of life for men and women who sustain life-altering injuries in the line of duty. The QL+ Laboratory is located on campus at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo, California.
Menlo Polo Club (www.menlopoloclub.com): Founded in 1923, the Menlo Polo Club is one of the oldest polo clubs in California. As a member of the United States Polo Association (USPA) the club plays as part of the USPA Pacific Coast Circuit, which is largest of the 13 Circuits in the USPA.