Operation United Front
Program helps families of injured vets reconnect
By Charlie Cook, Bob Woodruff Foundation
Much is lost when one returns home from combat injured. The service member or veteran and their families face a myriad of issues — after all, their lives have changed drastically and unfortunately many are not storybook endings.
It has been the mission of the Lakeshore Foundation to change this outlook through its Lima Foxtrot Program, which offers comprehensive, year round, sport, fitness, and recreation programs for severely injured members of our Armed Forces who were injured post-9/11.
Among this summer’s programs was Operation United Front, a week long camp that brought together injured veterans and their families to provide hope, normalcy and the means for families to reconnect and focus on what matters most — each other.
The camp was made possible through a grant from the Bob Woodruff Foundation, which afforded me the absolute privilege to witness the cathartic moments each family experienced.
Lakeshore boasts a gorgeous sprawling facility in the hills of Homewood, Ala. They have eight brand new cottages.
Children are able to stay in their own rooms — with televisions. The smiles on their faces upon discovering this was priceless!
Having a fun respite from the myriad of challenges each of these families face on a daily base proved to be extremely valuable. The activities included scuba diving, bike riding, tennis, archery, yoga and miscellaneous activities at night.
In addition to providing respite, the program instills practices and values that will help the families once they return to home, like healthy nutrition habits, teamwork, and many physical activities.
By offering the families the best in class experience with physical activities and adventures, Lima Foxtrot staff believe the families will organically be able to work through their relationship, communication, and other issues.
From what I observed, they certainly seemed to be closer and happier by the end of the week. Some of the injured that were very quiet and detached initially, were hugging their spouses and their kids and were proactively engaging fellow campers by the end.
And these families, who had never met each other, quickly bonded over shared experiences, shared struggles, and shared hopes.
They were smiling. They were laughing. They were crying tears of joy … all because they were finally able to focus on each other and not on the hardships of their daily life.
Being there to accept their gratitude was beyond humbling.
“Thank you so much for supporting this program. You made it possible for our whole family to feel like we belong,” wrote the Gaud Family, in a card.
Of course, the true thanks go to those whose support enables the Bob Woodruff Foundation to fund innovative programs like this.
Since 2006, BWF has invested more than $28 million to find, fund and shape more than 260 programs across the country. To learn more, visit us online at BobWoodruffFoundation.org.
Charlie Cook is the Charitable Investments Program Coordinator for the Bob Woodruff Foundation.
