Provided by NOVEC
On Oct. 23, NOVEC employees partnered with NOVEC Hands Engaged in Local Public Service (HELPS) for the sixth annual Day of Caring at the Willing Warriors Retreat in Haymarket. NOVEC HELPS is a NOVEC-supported, employee-run 501(c)(3).
NOVEC HELPS members Ruth Holdbrook, Kim Case Timberlake and Nan Musick work in one of the gardens at Willing Warriors Retreat in Haymarket during the sixth annual Day of Caring
Since its opening in 2015, the Willing Warriors Retreat at Bull Run has served as a temporary “home-away-from-home” for service members who are recovering at Walter Reed Medical Center or Fort Belvoir Hospital. The retreat provides veterans and their families with a relaxing environment where they can bond and create long-lasting memories away from the hospital environment.
John Rainey, left, works with a Willing Warriors worker on an outside project at the facility’s pole barn.
During the 2024 Day of Caring, more than 30 volunteers worked in two shifts – landscaping, gardening, cleaning, and completing house projects. NOVEC HELPS also made a monetary donation of $2,500 to Willing Warriors.
“NOVEC HELPS is proud to partner with Willing Warriors again for the Day of Caring,” said NOVEC HELPS Chair and NOVEC Quality Assurance and Training Coordinator Nan Musick. “Working at the retreat is a small way of showing our appreciation to U.S. service members while honoring them and their families for the sacrifices they’ve made.”
“Having volunteers like those from NOVEC at The Warrior Retreat at Bull Run allows us to continue providing vital services to our nation’s wounded warriors and their families,” said Faith Lillemo, Willing Warriors administrator and volunteer coordinator. “Their support helps create a peaceful, welcoming environment where healing and meaningful connections can take place. Volunteer efforts like this are the lifeblood of our mission, enabling us to offer these heroes a much-needed respite and a sense of community during their stay.”
Left to right, NOVEC employees Aleyda Rojas, Marline Melendez, Brigette Adkins and Blanca Mora trim and separate roots for planting
The Willing Warriors Retreat is always looking for volunteers. Visit willingwarriors.org for more information.
To learn more about NOVEC HELPS, or to donate, visit NOVECHELPS.org.
