OEW Announces Inaugural UNBREAKABLE Award Recipient for Outstanding Service

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” – Mother Teresa

Operation Enduring Warrior is pleased to unveil our annual UNBREAKABLE AWARD in recognition of those supporting individuals who have distinguished themselves through dedicated and selfless commitment to the OEW Mission to Honor, Empower, and Motivate. We are delighted to initiate this program to recognize and thank those individuals who demonstrate an outstanding passion for bettering the lives of the adaptive athletes we serve as well as serving the veteran population within their own communities.

Our 2018 UNBREAKABLE AWARD Recipient is Crystal Mai Purdy. Crystal has been coordinating veteran events in the Oregon and Southwest Washington area for over five years; to include athletic, cultural and social engagements. Crystal first became involved in Operation Enduring Warrior in early 2016 at the Bataan Memorial Death March in White Sands, New Mexico. She quickly sought greater involvement and now serves as the Pacific Northwest Regional Outreach Coordinator. In 2017 she participated in numerous local and nationwide outreach, athletic and fundraising events on behalf of OEW.

Crystal has a steadfast passion for our service members that has impacted and directed her professional life. As funeral director of the largest funeral home and cemetery in Portland, she also currently oversees the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veteran Burial Program in Oregon; working with the VA and the medical examiner’s offices to ensure that homeless, unclaimed or abandoned veterans receive a proper burial with military honors. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Oregon Fallen Badge Foundation, a non-profit organization comprised of professionals who are trained to respond when a law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty. In addition to being selected for the Inaugural UNBREAKABLE AWARD, she has most recently received the 2017 Paul Harris Award presented by Rotary International, and the 2018 American Red Cross Military Hero.

Crystal embodies the ideals of selfless service, compassion, and grace during life’s toughest moments. Her unwavering dedication to honoring the sacrifices of all who have worn a uniform, military or public service, are the qualities we all should strive to emulate in our daily lives. At the end of the day, Crystal’s personal mission is “If I can, I should.” Well done and well deserved, indeed. Congratulations, Crystal!

HONORING THEIR SACRIFICE #UnbreakableAward

Endeavor Team Challenge names Operation Enduring Warrior 2018 Charity Partner

Always Endeavor, LLC, producers of Endeavor Team Challenge announced today a partnership with Operation Enduring Warrior (OEW), naming OEW as the Official Charity Partner of their 2018 Northern California Endeavor Team Challenge event. As part of the partnership, a portion of event proceeds will be donated to Operation Enduring Warrior in support of their mission to honor, empower and motivate America’s wounded military service members.

"Operation Enduring Warrior is honored to have been selected as a Charity Partner for this truly challenging endeavor,” states Kelly Farmer, VP of Communication for the organization. “Our team has worked hard in 2018 at growing the OEW Adventure Program, allowing our Adaptive Athletes to step even further outside of their comfort zones and to challenge themselves in seemingly impossible ways. All of our programming is designed to allow our adaptive athletes to remain physically active and mentally challenged. We are always delighted to cultivate new partnerships in various regions of the country to help share our mission and grow our support. The 2018 Northern California Endeavor Team Challenge fits well within with our programming goals and is a partnership we hope to continue in future years. "

“The Endeavor Team Challenge is very excited to be partnering with Operation Enduring Warrior. Our founders are veterans and so are many of our competitors, so we are happy to join forces with an organization like OEW to help veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country,” says Beau Martino, of Endeavor Team Challenge. “The Endeavor Team Challenge is the ultimate fitness adventure and it gets people to do more than they ever thought possible, so I can't wait to see one of OEW's adaptive athletes conquer this event!”

About Endeavor Team Challenge:

The Endeavor Team Challenge is a 40 mile, 30 hour event designed to test the mental and physical fortitude of its competitors. Teams of two work together to conquer beautiful, yet challenging terrain as they move up mountains, rappel down cliffs, and paddle across alpine reservoirs encountering challenges along the way. Competitors arrive with their teammate and a backpack and leave with a new sense of what they’re capable of.

About Operation Enduring Warrior:

Operation Enduring Warrior is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to honor, empower and motivate America’s wounded military service members. Our physical, mental and emotional rehabilitative cycle is modeled to overcome adversity and hardship through innovation, teamwork and perseverance; ultimately enabling the lives of our Wounded Warriors to go in directions they once thought impossible.

Operation Enduring Warrior (OEW) was granted tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service functioning as a charity under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations to the organization are deductible as charitable contributions. We are a 100% volunteer-run organization.

For details and registration, visit Eventbrite.

SKYDIVERS TACKLE FIRST-EVER SKYDIVING ROAD TRIP RECORD TO SUPPORT WOUNDED VETERANS

WHO: Over the summer of 2018, two airsports athletes--an American woman and a British man--are going to visit all fifty United States over the course of one, unbroken journey. They'll skydive in each one.

WHAT: When they make that fiftieth jump, the event will mark the first time the feat has ever been accomplished in one single journey. For all but Alaska and Hawaii, the pair will be making the journey in a motorhome.

The challenge is being undertaken to raise awareness for Operation Enduring Warrior (enduringwarrior.org). Operation Enduring Warrior (OEW) is a veteran-founded non‐profit 501(c)(3) whose mission is “to honor, empower, and motivate our nation’s wounded veterans through a physical, mental and emotional rehabilitation. This ultimately enables the lives of wounded veterans to go in directions they may have once thought were impossible.” OEW’s skydive program provides the training and equipment necessary to teach wounded and injured veterans how to skydive, introducing them to a tight, supportive community that enriches their lives long after each triumphant parachute landing.

OEW is a completely volunteer-run organization. Donations go directly towards operational support of the organization and its different programs. The co-adventurers are self-funding the entire journey of Down For 50. No OEW organization funds are being used.

Utah is the trip’s third destination after its origin at the OEW home training base of Skydive Arizona.

WHEN: Friday, May 4th

WHERE: Skydive The Wasatch, located at Nephi Municipal Airport, located at 2001 North Airport Road in Nephi, Utah, just off the I-15 freeway. See http://skydivethewasatch.com/contact/directions/ or call 385-321-0284 for easy driving directions. Full Down For 50 trip route and schedule available at https://www.downfor50.org/for-our-partner-dzs.

INTERVIEWS:

• The Down For 50 co-adventurers, Annette O’Neil and Joel Strickland (bios available at downfor50.org), will be available for interviews upon request.

• You’re also invited to interview the fun crew of jumpers that call Skydive the Wasatch home.

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VISUALS:

• New skydivers preparing to take their first jump

• Dramatic parachute landings

• Aerial video footage/B-roll and digital photos available upon request from our on-site photographers.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Annette O’Neil, D450 Co-Adventurer: annette@downfor50.org, 213-915-8719, downfor50.org