With the sacrifices made by the United States military on a daily basis, a new local event to support those men and women has made its debut in Happy Valley recently.
The charity fundraising event Happy Valley Warrior Benefit Challenge recently took place in Boalsburg. One hundred percent of the funds raised go directly to the Wounded Warrior Project, a charity that honors and empowers injured service members.
The HVWBC was created by Chris Musser and Derek Leonard, and is an event that consists of workout stations that test strength and endurance.
“We had ten teams participate and each team consisted of two people,” says Musser. “The workout is essentially set up as a circuit training event with 12 stations followed by a four-mile run.”
These challenging stations tested the participant’s cardiovascular endurance and strength.
“At the three mile mark, each team had to pick up a 75-pound piece of lumber and bring it back to the finish line,” explains Musser.
Competitors included former professional and collegiate athletes, retired military Special Forces operatives, IRONMAN competitors, as well as local businessmen, according to Musser.
In addition to 20 competitors, the event was also comprised of nearly 30 volunteers. These volunteers did everything from counting reps and recording results at the workout stations, cooking food, to making sure all the competitors had access to fluids, says Musser.
Volunteer Jeff Vones served 14 years in the United States Army, reaching the rank of captain. Vones also served two tours in Iraq with his most recent deployment as a Company Commander in charge of a 171-man unit. Vones commends this effort to raise funds for such a project.
“It is a rough road coming back from war and reintegrating into normal life, even without the additional challenges of physical and mental injuries,” says Vones. “The Wounded Warrior Project is an outstanding way for us to give back to those who have given so much for all of us.”
Local businesses also helped out the cause. Lezzer Lumber donated all building materials for the workout stations and W.R. Hickey provided beverages. Weis Markets, Marcon Roofing, Kozee’s Emporium, Atlast Therapy, Stahl-Sheaffer Engineering and Blue Mountain Resources also donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Musser hopes to move the Happy Valley Wounded Warrior Benefit Challenge forward by making it an annual fundraiser.
“This was the first HVWBC event of what we hope to be many,” says Musser. “We plan to develop a more aggressive marketing campaign so that we can raise more money for the charity.”
Musser hopes to incorporate a female bracket next year.
“I have had a lot of interest from female athletes and I want them all involved,” says Musser.
Musser is amazed with the turnout for the event and the overwhelming enthusiasm of the community.
“Derek and I are both born and raised in this community so we already knew what a fantastic community it is,” says Musser. “But to be quite honest, the amount of people that have been willing to get involved in this event has been amazing. All it took was for someone to provide a spark, and this community has got the fire going.”
Donations can be made directly to the organization’s website by clicking HERE. Fundraising for next year’s event will be starting soon. For more information, contact Chris Musser at cpm118@psu.edu or Derek Leonard at dsl5056@psu.edu.
