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2026 Special Operations Wounded Warriors Charity Dinner and Auction

Monday, April 20th, 2026

For Immediate Release

Myrtle Beach, SC – March 13, 2026 – Special Operations Wounded Warriors (SOWW), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to honoring and supporting U.S. Special Operations Forces members wounded in combat or training, is proud to announce its annual Charity Dinner and Auction. This signature event will bring together supporters, veterans, and patriots for an evening of inspiration, fellowship, and fundraising to aid in the healing and recovery of our nation’s quiet professionals.

Set against the backdrop of the stunning Myrtle Beach coastline, the event will feature renowned guest speaker Enrique “Ric” Prado, a 24-year CIA veteran and specialist in paramilitary, counter-terrorism, and clandestine operations. Prado served as Deputy Chief of Station for the original Bin Laden Task Force and later as Chief of Operations in the Counterterrorist Center during 9/11, coordinating missions with elite units like Delta Force and SEAL Team Six. Prado will share insights from his bestselling memoir, Black Ops: The Life of a CIA Shadow Warrior.

Joining as VIP guest is multi-talented entertainer and patriotic Army veteran Craig Morgan. A country music icon with over 2.5 billion career streams and more than 25 Billboard-charting songs, Morgan is also a TV personality, author, and celebrated outdoorsman. He served 17 years in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve, including as a member of the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions, and in 2023, he reenlisted as a Warrant Officer. Honored with inductions into the Grand Ole Opry and the U.S. Field Artillery Hall of Fame, as well as the USO Merit Award and the Army’s Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, Morgan remains deeply committed to supporting active-duty and veteran service members through organizations like Operation Finally Home and the USO.

Event details:

Date: Thursday, May 21, 2026

Time: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Location: Marriott Myrtle Beach Resort at Grand Dunes, 8400 Costa Verde Drive, Myrtle Beach, SC

Attendees can look forward to a live auction featuring unique items and experiences, networking opportunities, and stories of impact from SOWW beneficiaries. Proceeds will directly support SOWW’s mission to provide healing outdoor adventures and targeted therapies to Purple Heart recipients and other wounded Special Operations warriors, having already touched over 1,000 lives since our founding in 2012.

Sponsorships, table reservations, and individual tickets are available now. Scan the QR code on the event flyer or visit SOWW for more information. Room reservations at the venue can be made by calling +1 843-449-8880.

SOWW

Help Elevare Foundation spread the word about SOWW!

SOWW invites media, corporate partners, and the public to join in celebrating and supporting our Special Operations heroes. For press credentials or interview requests, please contact the above.

About Special Operations Wounded Warriors (SOWW): Founded in 2012 by a group of Special Forces veterans and outdoors enthusiasts, SOWW is a volunteer-driven nonprofit that offers therapeutic outdoor experiences, service dog programs, and mental health support to active-duty and veteran U.S. Special Operations Forces members wounded in service. With a focus on low-recognition sacrifices, SOWW fosters recovery through nature-based activities and camaraderie. Learn more at www.sowwcharity.com.

Special Operations Wounded Warriors | SOWW | SOWW Charity

Posted in Fundraising, Nonprofit, Press Release, Veterans | No Comments »

Darley and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Launch Fifth Annual Fire Service Thought Leadership Essay Competition

Monday, April 13th, 2026

ITASCA, IL – April 13th, 2026 – Darley, a leading provider of defense, fire, and emergency services equipment, in collaboration with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), is proud to announce the launch of the fifth annual Fire Service Thought Leadership Essay Competition. Now in its fifth year, the competition has become one of the fire service’s premier platforms for original thinking, drawing over 90 entries annually from firefighters, company officers, and chief officers across the country.

This year’s prompt asks a question the fire service can no longer afford to sidestep: how can artificial intelligence be used to improve firefighter health, wellness, and safety over the next two years?

AI is already showing up in firehouses. Incident reporting, staffing models, wildfire prediction, roadway risk forecasting, and fire-based EMS operations are all areas where AI tools are beginning to take hold. Taking inspiration from the NFL’s “Digital Athlete” platform built with AWS, which uses data, AI simulations, and predictive models to identify injury risks and design smarter training for players, this year’s contest challenges fire and rescue personnel to think seriously about what that kind of capability could mean for the people who run into burning buildings for a living.

“The people best positioned to shape how AI gets used in the fire service are the ones on shift,” said Paul Darley, CEO & Chairman at Darley. “Sometimes the best ideas in the fire service don’t always make it past the apparatus bay. We built this competition because writing is an act of leadership, and we want you to use this platform to spotlight your ideas and create discussion amongst industry peers.”

Essays may explore AI-enabled training such as:

  • Virtual and augmented reality staff rides
  • Predictive analytics for wildland and all-hazard incidents
  • Decision-support tools for complex EMS, hazmat, and technical rescue operations
  • Fatigue and workload tracking for high-volume EMS crews
  • Exposure and injury trend analysis

Submissions are encouraged to connect ideas to real operational needs, draw from line-of-duty lessons, and align with the 12 NFFF Fire and Life Safety Initiatives.

“Artificial intelligence is not a replacement for firefighter judgment; it is a force multiplier for firefighter survivability,” said National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Director of Fire Programs Danny Kistner. “By combining AI with immersive staff rides, predictive modeling, and resilience-building programs, we can help departments see risk sooner, train with greater realism, and support their people long before and long after the call. This directly aligns with the NFFF mission—to honor our fallen by doing everything possible to reduce preventable deaths and injuries. We invite you to join this competition and submit your ideas for how AI can further this mission in the fire service.”

The competition follows a Tier 3 AI usage standard. Writers may use generative AI tools to brainstorm, organize thinking, and refine outlines, but all sentences in the final submission must be written by the author in their own words. Essays may be screened with AI-detection tools, and any AI use must be disclosed.

Since its launch, the competition has tackled recruitment and diversity, resistance to change in the fire service, and the mental health struggles firefighters carry long after the incident is over. Winners receive cash prizes, present at events including the Texas A&M Leadership Conference and FRI, and are published across major fire service media including Fire Engineering, Firehouse, CRACKYL, and FireRescue1.

The competition was conceived by Garry Briese and is sponsored by Darley in collaboration with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

Submissions are now open. Visit darley.com/essay-competition to learn more and submit.

Posted in Advertiser, Nonprofit, Press Release | No Comments »

Whiskey & War Stories – “Objective Rock Creek” – This Weekend in Va Beach

Thursday, March 12th, 2026

The Silent Warrior Foundation will be holding its 10th Annual Whiskey & War Stories™ Gala Saturday, March 14, 2026, from 5-10 pm in the Seaside Ballroom at the Marriot Virginia Beach Oceanfront Resort.

The event consists of a cocktail hour, dinner, auction and presentation of the hostage rescue mission “Objective Rock Creek”, the rescue of American Roy Hallums in Iraq in 2005. The details of Roy’s kidnapping, captivity and liberation were chronicled in his book “Buried Alive”. Roy Hallums and Dan O’Shea will be onstage to tell the story to our guests.

Several guests who have spoken at previous Whiskey & War Stories™ will be present, as well, so it will be a very special night.

There will also be a more casual event the night prior from 5-10 pm in the Executive Hospitality Suite on the 4th Floor of the hotel called “VIP Night”. An extensive taco bar, open bar, and whiskey tasting by Tarnished Truth Distillery are provided during this casual social event. This is a more relaxed opportunity to mix with our past and present speakers and attendees. Cigars on the patio, weather permitting.

This year’s auction items include the Christian Craighead painting, an extremely detailed clone of the M4’s used on the Rock Creek rescue, and a Cylinder & Slide JSOC 1911 clone to name a few. The auction website will populate this weekend.

Tickets and registration link: 10th Annual Whiskey & War Stories | Auction Frogs

Posted in Fundraising, Guest Post, Nonprofit | No Comments »

Hidden Wounds Receives $50,000 Donation from Philip Morris International U.S. to Expand Rapid Mental-Health Stabilization for Veterans

Wednesday, March 11th, 2026

Funding supports lifesaving crisis stabilization, suicide prevention, peer support, and essential services for South Carolina’s at-risk veterans

SUMTER, S.C., March 9, 2026 — Hidden Wounds, a South Carolina-based nonprofit providing immediate mental-health stabilization and long-term support for veterans, today announced a $50,000 donation from Philip Morris International’s U.S. businesses (PMI U.S.). The funding comes at a critical moment as South Carolina and the nation face rising rates of veteran suicide, with an estimated 17.6 veterans dying by suicide every day, according to a 2024 report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Our mission is simple: No veteran should face their darkest hour alone,” said Dr. Lance Newman, Executive Director of Hidden Wounds, CPS, CPT, CSCS (Retired). “The support from PMI U.S. helps us keep our doors open and our hands outstretched to the men and women who sacrificed for us.”

Hidden Wounds fills urgent gaps in care by offering rapid crisis stabilization, peer-led support groups, and warm handoffs to treatment, ensuring that veterans receive fast, practical help when they need it most. In 2025 alone, the organization supported thousands of veterans experiencing PTSD, homelessness, food insecurity, depression, and other invisible wounds – often providing same-day stabilization and ongoing community support.

“Hidden Wounds is meeting veterans where they are, often in moments when they can’t wait days or weeks for help,” said Jake Jacobs, Director of External Affairs, Southeast Region at PMI U.S. “Their team provides immediate stabilization, real human connection, and long-term pathways to recovery, and PMI U.S. is proud to support an organization delivering such pragmatic, lifesaving impact for veterans across South Carolina.”

This gift reflects PMI U.S.’s commitment to pragmatic philanthropy­, advancing practical, measurable results by supporting organizations delivering real impact for the military community. Since 2022, PMI U.S. has invested more than $35 million in charitable giving, including over $7M towards organizations serving U.S. service members, veterans, and their families across legal services, housing, mental health support and emergency economic relief.

In 2025, Hidden Wounds delivered measurable impact across South Carolina:

  • Supported 8,000+ veterans through the food pantry
  • Provided care to 87 veterans in nursing homes
  • Helped 15 veterans move from homelessness to permanent housing
  • Fed 5,800 veterans during Thanksgiving and Christmas
  • Maintained daily in-person support that keeps hundreds of veterans connected and safe

In partnership with VAlanthropy, Hidden Wounds recently broke ground on Village Alpha, a permanent housing community consisting of 650-square-foot apartments designed to help veterans stabilize, rebuild, and integrate. Construction began in February 2026 in Sumter, South Carolina, with the aim to offer immediate housing for veterans in need in addition to the other offerings and support Hidden Wounds provides.

Posted in Industry, Nonprofit, Press Release, Veterans | 1 Comment »

LifeCampUSA Opens Enrollment For Summer Camp Serving Children Of Fallen Heroes

Sunday, March 8th, 2026

LifeCampUSA Provides Free Summer Camp, Mentorship, and Long-Term Support for Youth Ages 11-14 Who Have Lost a Father in Service
DELAFIELD, WISCONSIN / MARCH 5, 2026 – Enrollment is now open for LifeCampUSA, a faith-based children’s summer camp designed specifically for young men and women ages 11-14 who have lost a father due to their U.S. Military, Law Enforcement, or First Responder service. Each year, more than 1,000 children join the heartbreaking reality of growing up without their dad due to line-of-duty deaths, creating an urgent need for faith-centered mentorship and support that LifeCampUSA provides. 

TAKE A LOOK INSIDE LIFECAMPUSA

Founded by Mark and Jane Neumann, LifeCampUSA provides a multi-day camp experience that combines outdoor adventure, Christian mentorship, grief support, and daily spiritual encouragement, all at no cost to families. LifeCampUSA covers all lodging, meals, activities, and programming, ensuring that financial barriers never prevent a child from attending.

“Children who lose a father in service to our nation or community carry a unique weight,” said co-founder Mark Neumann. “LifeCampUSA exists to surround them with mentors, faith, and brotherhood and sisterhood that remind them they are not alone and give them lasting tools to honor their fathers.” 

LifeCampUSA Colorado Camp Group
LifeCampUSA was created to provide purposeful direction, inner strength, and lasting support to children navigating grief. The program fills a critical gap for families seeking faith-centered healing resources after the loss of a father. LifeCampUSA is one of the only programs in the nation dedicated exclusively to serving children who have lost a father in military, law enforcement, or first responder service.

APPLY HERE TO BE A CAMPER OR MENTOR

Enrollment for the upcoming camp season is open now. Each year, LifeCampUSA partners with top-tier family camps and guest ranches across the United States, including locations in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota. Sites are selected for the quality of their lodging, food, natural beauty, and available outdoor activities. From archery and swimming to team games and nightly worship, LifeCampUSA creates a safe, adventure-filled environment where grief meets community and children rediscover joy.

For more information or to apply, visit LifeCampUSA.org.

Posted in Nonprofit, Press Release | No Comments »

Trident Concepts Expands Mission with Give-Back Initiative Supporting SEAL Families

Wednesday, January 28th, 2026

Elite Weapons & Tactics Training Company Launches Coffee Project to Fund Direct Support Through the SEAL Legacy Foundation

Austin, TX — January 2026 — Trident Concepts, LLC, a veteran-owned company known for delivering elite-level weapons and tactics training, today announced the launch of a new give-back initiative designed to extend its mission beyond the training environment and into long-term community impact.

As part of this initiative, Trident Concepts has introduced a purpose-driven coffee project that directly supports the SEAL Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing careand assistance to the families of wounded and fallen U.S. Navy SEALs. For every bag of coffee sold, Trident Concepts will donate $1, with an initial campaign goal of selling 25,000 bags to generate a $25,000 contribution.

From the beginning, Trident Concepts has focused on preparing responsible citizens, armed professionals, and organizations through high level instruction and leadership rooted in real-world experience. This new initiative reflects the company’s commitment to carrying that responsibility forward; ensuring the legacy of service continues beyond the range and classroom.

“Trident Concepts has always been more than high level training and skill development,” said Jeff Gonzales, Founder and CEO. “This project allows us to add a meaningful give back component to what we already do; creating a way for our students, supporters, and partners to contribute to families who have paid an extraordinary price.”

The coffee project was intentionally designed to align with Trident Concepts’ core values: service, honor & discipline. By tying donations directly to product sales, the company has established a transparent and measurable way to support the SEAL Legacy Foundation while offering a high-quality product that fits seamlessly into everyday life.

The SEAL Legacy Foundation provides education assistance, immediate financial support, and long-term care to the families of U.S. Navy SEALs who have been killed or seriously wounded in service to the nation. Contributions from Trident Concepts will be made annually by the company and are not issued in the name of individual customers.

The campaign officially launches with a clear call to action:
25,000 bags sold. $25,000 donated. One mission extended!

Coffee products are available online through Trident Concepts’ e-commerce platform, with wholesale opportunities available for retailers and organizations aligned with mission-driven brands.For wholesale information, contact admin@tridentconcepts.com.

For more information, visit shop.tridentconcepts.com/collections/trident-series-coffee-collection/coffee.

Posted in Fundraising, Nonprofit, Press Release | Comments Off on Trident Concepts Expands Mission with Give-Back Initiative Supporting SEAL Families

GBRS Group to Host 2026 SHOT Show Kickoff Party Presented by Aimpoint Benefiting the Special Operations Care Fund (SOC-F)

Tuesday, January 13th, 2026

Las Vegas, Nevada, January 12, 2026

GBRS Group is proud to announce the 2026 GBRS SHOT Show Kickoff Party, presented by Aimpoint, taking place during SHOT Show week in Las Vegas. GBRS Group returns as host for what has become a must attend night for the industry, the community, and a cause that matters.

The event kicks off at 7:00 p.m. local time with a simple rule: Come As You Are. No dress code. No pretense. Just good people showing up for the right reasons. Advance tickets are available online at: qtego.us/l/shotshow/tickets/event-tickets Tickets will also be available at the door cash only please. Every dollar raised goes directly to charity.

In addition the presenting sponsor, Aimpoint, this year’s party is supported by an outstanding group of partners, including SIG Sauer, See the Night, S&S Precision, Brond Health, SWISS CNC, ROKA, OP Tactical, Otte Gear, Voight Industries, and many more across the firearms, defense, and outdoor industries.

All proceeds from the evening benefit the Special Operations Care Fund. SOC-F provides immediate and ongoing support to Special Operations Forces and their families, with a focus on preserving dignity, easing burdens, and honoring service through direct action. All monies raised are handled directly by the charity, ensuring maximum impact and full transparency.

Guests are encouraged to participate both in person and online through a high value raffle featuring donated items from a wide range of sponsors. Raffle entries are available online, winners will be selected at random, and all items will ship directly to winners after the party, so there is no need to carry anything on the show floor.

Access the raffle here: https://qtego.us/l/shotshow/items/buy

Last year set the bar. This year the goal is simple. Surpass it. More people. More impact. More support for those who have given everything.

If you are in Las Vegas for SHOT Show, this is your Monday night plan.

What: 2026 GBRS SHOT Show Kickoff Party
When: 7:00 p.m., Monday night during SHOT Show week
Where: Las Vegas, Nevada
Dress: Come As You Are
Tickets: Available online and at the door
Benefiting: Special Operations Care Fund (SOC F)

GBRS Group looks forward to welcoming the industry once again for a night that is relaxed, meaningful, and purpose driven.

If your company would like to donate items to the raffle please contact william@gbrsgroup.com. 

Posted in Fundraising, Nonprofit, SHOT Show, Veterans | 1 Comment »

SK Guns Supports International Association of Bomb Technicians & Investigators

Sunday, July 27th, 2025

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – July 24, 2025 – SK Guns®, the Nation’s only series-driven, limited-edition manufacturer of custom firearms, supported the 53rd International Association of Bomb Technicians & Investigators (IABTI) International In-Service Training and Expo (IIST) through its SK Gives Back initiative.

The expo took place June 22 – 27 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. As part of the event, SK Guns donated the #053 Solo Lobo (translated: “Lone Wolf”) pistol chambered in .38 Super. This custom-engraved firearm was auctioned off to raise funds for the IABTI during the convention. The funds raised help bomb technicians and investigators across the world be as educated and effective as possible.

“It can’t be overstated how dangerous the life of a bomb technician can be. Training and education for these members of our military, law enforcement and first responder communities is absolutely vital,” said Simon Khiabani, owner and founder of SK Guns. “We are proud to use our SK Gives Back initiative to support the IABTI and help fund the research and training programs they work on throughout the year.”

The IABTI IIST is the premier global event for bomb technicians and investigators to refine their skills and network with other international experts. The event provided attendees with a new perspective on the industry, access to career pathways, research and professional development opportunities.

“We are so grateful to Simon for his kindness and willingness to help the IABTI conference, which helps facilitate well needed training to bomb technicians around the world,” said Scott Wright, St. Johns County deputy and explosive ordnance disposal technician.

To learn more about how to get involved or discuss how your foundation can partner with SK Gives Back, visit skguns.com/contact-us.

Posted in EOD, Industry, LE, Nonprofit, Press Release | Comments Off on SK Guns Supports International Association of Bomb Technicians & Investigators

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