Memorial Day 🇺🇸 is more than just the unofficial start of summer — it’s a time to come together as a community and honor those who gave it all for our freedom.

This year, Willing Warriors is pulling out all the stops to celebrate 10 incredible years of providing a “Home Away From Home” for our nation’s wounded, ill, and injured service members and their families. Since 2015, the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run has welcomed over 2,800 warriors and their loved ones, helping them relax, reconnect, and recharge — all thanks to the generosity of community members like YOU.

🎈 Join Us for the 10th Anniversary Celebration & Memorial Day Ceremony

📅 Monday, May 26, 2025
🕚 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
📍 Warrior Retreat at Bull Run, Haymarket, Virginia

What’s Happening:

• 🍔 Picnic on the Grounds with local food truck favorites
• 🏡 Tours of Our Beautiful Retreat Homes
• 🎲 Fun & Games for All Ages
• 🎤 Inspiring Remarks from Co-Founders Shirley and John Dominick
• 🧱 Memorial Brick Laying Ceremony honoring fallen heroes from WWII to today
• 🎺 Taps & Moment of Silence — a powerful tribute to those we’ll never forget

This family-friendly event is your chance to experience the magic of the Warrior Retreat, meet the incredible people behind the mission, and reflect on the true meaning of Memorial Day.

🌟 About Willing Warriors

Willing Warriors is a community-supported nonprofit that provides cost-free, six-day retreat stays and life-changing programs for recovering warriors and their families. From canine therapy and fishing trips to five-star meals by professional chefs, every experience at the Warrior Retreat is designed to heal both body and soul. Nestled on 37 peaceful acres at the foot of the Bull Run Mountains, this special place exists because of supporters like YOU.

💻 Learn more at willingwarriors.org

Willing Warriors, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting recovering service members and their families, will hold a community-wide event this spring to celebrate a decade of healing and hope.

The organization will mark its 10-year anniversary with a celebration on Monday, May 26, 2025, at 11 a.m. at the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run near Haymarket. The retreat provides free, week-long stays for wounded service members and their families, offering them rest, reconnection, and recovery in a peaceful setting.

Since opening its doors in 2015, the Warrior Retreat has hosted nearly 2,700 warriors and their loved ones, helping to restore hope, rebuild relationships, and provide a supportive environment for healing.

“We’ve seen lives changed, marriages saved, and families restored,” said Shirley Dominick, founder of Willing Warriors. “When warriors arrive on Friday, they are often tired and discouraged. When they leave, they are smiling, hopeful, and ready to move forward.”

Dominick accepted a proclamation from the Prince William Board of County Supervisors on Tuesday, March 18, recognizing March 16–22, 2025, as Women Veterans Week and honoring the contributions of women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. During the ceremony, she reflected on the vital role the community has played in the retreat’s success.

“It is you—this community—that made all of this possible,” she told the board. “Your financial support, your volunteer hours, your belief in our mission—it has all helped us serve our nation’s heroes in a meaningful way.”

Gainesville District Supervisor Bob Weir read the proclamation, noting that women veterans are the fastest-growing segment of the veteran population, with many calling Prince William County home.

Sarah Ford, Executive Director of Willing Warriors, encouraged residents to attend the May 26 event. “This anniversary isn’t just about us—it’s about what this community has done together,” Ford said. “We want everyone to come out, celebrate, and be part of the next chapter.”

Willing Warriors continues to offer no-cost stays for service members recovering from both physical and invisible wounds, supported by a network of volunteers, donors, and local partners. The retreat includes private suites, accessible amenities, and access to nearby medical facilities and outdoor activities.

For more information about the anniversary event or to support Willing Warriors, visit willingwarriors.org.

On September 17, 2024, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors unanimously approved a tax exemption for the nonprofit organization Serving Our Willing Warriors (SOWW), based in Haymarket. The decision comes after years of advocacy by the organization, which had previously faced resistance from the former Board, chaired by Ann Wheeler.

SOWW provides vital support to wounded veterans through cost-free respite stays and programs aimed at helping them and their families recover from the physical and emotional tolls of military service. The tax exemption applies to four properties owned by the organization on Waterfall Road in Haymarket, allowing SOWW to allocate more resources directly toward its services for veterans.

This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.

The Willing Warriors Retreat houses offer cost-free stays and other non-medical programs that positively affect the recovery of wounded, ill, and injured service members and Veterans. The third house, the Grand Lodge, has six bedrooms, two of them ADA compliant. The increase in capacity will allow the retreat to help more warriors with additional programs.

This article is exclusively for our Locals Only members. Please Sign In or upgrade to become a Locals Only Member today!

Your support helps us continue delivering more in-depth community news that matters to you.