August 8, 2022, Gig Harbor, WA; The Permission to Start Dreaming Foundation is pleased to announce a very inspirational line up of guest speakers for the 12th Annual Prayer Breakfast on Friday, September 9, 2022 to kick off this very special weekend. Please join us to hear stories of hope and courage from:
Johnny “Joey” Jones, who embodies the heart of a warrior, as a member of the Team Never Quit and after serving 8 years in the United States Marine Corps suffered serious injuries in Afghanistan in 2010 resulting in the loss of both of his legs. He currently continues his service to this country as a major contributor to Fox News and Fox Nation as well as being an advocate for veteran’s issues, especially related to patriotism and wellness through his leadership in a variety of nonprofits, most notably the Boot Campaign.
Chaplain (Major General) Thomas L. Solhjem, serves at the Pentagon as the U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains and considers it a privilege and calling to lead the U.S. Army Chaplains that have cared for the soul of the of the Army for 244 years. Major General Solhjem will share his personal journey of transformation that has led him to be the spiritual leader for the entire U.S. Army.
Frank Hill, US Army Veteran, Combat Medic, joins us 10 years after being with us at the Prayer Breakfast in 2012 where he spoke of the horrors of combat he experienced and the impact on his life. He is back this year to share his story of resiliency, posttraumatic growth and recovery.
Juliann Ashcraft, widow of fallen Granite Mountain Hotshot, Andrew Ashcraft, who lost his life in June 2013 in the Yarnell Hill, AZ fire. Juliann not only has fought tirelessly for survivor benefits for her family, but she also encourages others to shift their loss from grief to gratitude.
The Prayer Breakfast will be held at Chapel Hill Church, 7700 Skansie Ave., Gig Harbor. Doors open at 7:00 am. Please find tickets and more information at https://ptsdfoundation.org/prayer-breakfast/
The weekend will culminate on Sunday, September 11, 2022 with the 12th Annual Race For A Soldier, the flagship event that started it all for the Permission To Start Dreaming Foundation. The 5k and half marathon both start and end at the Tom Taylor YMCA. This year’s half marathon features a brand-new course, the first couple of miles proceed downtown on Harborview for a beautiful view of the harbor as you pass all the waterfront businesses including Millville Pizza and the iconic Tides Tavern, just to name a few, before you head up Soundview Drive. For more details, map and registration please go to https://ptsdfoundation.org/race-for-a-soldier/
It is significant that the Race for a Soldier will be held on September 11th because as a nation we have vowed to “Never Forget” and as a Foundation we serve post 9/11 veterans, first responders and their families to provide hope and help on their journey to posttraumatic growth. We are grateful to all of those in the community - our sponsors, our volunteers, event participants and all who have come alongside us – we could not do this without you.
The Permission To Start Dreaming Foundation is committed to the future and well-being of our veterans and first responders, by providing programs with effective, long-term solutions to transform posttraumatic stress into posttraumatic growth. For more information, please see https://ptsdfoundation.org/about/
Contact:
Jessica Mason, Community Engagement and Special Event Coordinator
(719) 510-6500
JMason@ptsdfoundation.org