News and Updates
News
Hero’s Bridge Invited to Participate in Camp Legacy Honoring Vietnam Veterans
Hero’s Bridge is honored to have been invited by The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration to participate in the “Welcome Home! A Nation Honors our Vietnam Veterans and their Families,” on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. This national...
Give Local Piedmont Donations will Help Build Veteran’s Continuum of Care
John’s involvement with Hero’s Bridge began with groceries. He was still living independently in the house he shared with his wife for over three decades but was no longer able to drive. The couple’s daughter was 45 minutes away, making it difficult to help with...
Tradition of service: Culpeper woman reflects on Air Force experience
Step by painful step, Culpeper resident Ellen McCarthy served faithfully in the U.S. Air Force half-a-century ago. Fifty years to the month after joining the military, the disabled veteran reflected on her service for Women’s History Month in an interview with Hero’s...
Behind the Curtain: How Hero’s Bridge Cares for so Many Veterans with Such Varied Needs
As Hero's Bridge has grown over the years, we have made our model of care more sophisticated and scalable. With the addition of a new Battle Buddy Community Health Care Worker, we are now able to see an even greater number of aging veterans. And we have more finely...
Vietnam Veteran’s 5K: This is not your regular 5K
The Vietnam Veteran's 5K is not just a race, it's a movement. Vietnam Veterans Day is held annually on March 29. On March 25, Hero's Bridge observance of Vietnam Veterans Day, we hope to see runners in every city, every town, and every rural corner, lace up their...
World War II Veteran Reflects During Wiscasset Visit
Born to Elmer and Dagmar Burkholder, Burkholder grew up with three brothers and three sisters in Fort Madison, Iowa. He graduated from high school in June of 1943 and enlisted in the U.S. Navy the same year. After basic training, Burkholder was sent for pilot...
Vietnam Veterans In-Person 5K March 25
We are excited to announce the return of the IN-PERSON Vietnam Veteran's 5K at noon on March 25 at Molon Lave Winery in Warrenton. Yes, you read that correctly! After a three-year disruption of in-person events, for the 2023 5K our feet will all hit the ground...
Pour a Pint, Pop a Cork, Help a Hero
Hero's Bridge is grateful to The Smoot Grasman Group LLC affiliated with Coldwell Banker Realty, for organizing a fundraiser on our behalf. Join us on March 18th from 6-9pm at Barrel Oak Winery and Taphouse to Give Back, "Sip" It Forward and Help A Hero. 100%...
Culpeper veteran of Korea recalls “the Forgotten War”
A member of the Greatest Generation still imparting wisdom, well-needed in today’s world, U.S. Army Sgt. Larry Corbin spent 19 months amid the ravaged aftermath of the three-year Korean War. When he returned a changed man to his hometown of Providence, Rhode Island,...
Marine Corps veteran wants all veteran graves to have a wreath
Marine Corps veteran Lewis Ray was the first person in his family line to join the military, but in his extended family, there were many military members, some predating the Civil War. They are all interred at Ray’s hometown church, Providence Baptist, in Kershaw...
Merry Christmas from Hero’s Bridge!
It is a privilege to serve our veterans in their hour of need. I hear this time and time again from our volunteers, supporters, and team members. While we don't perform these tasks for the benefits we reap, we undeniably benefit from helping our veterans. This holiday...
Local Issues, Real People Features Hero’s Bridge
In recognition of Veterans Day, WJMA's J.D. Slade invited Hero's Bridge CEO Molly Brooks back to his studio for an update on the organization. Slade learned about Hero's Bridge when Brooks helped his friend, a Vietnam Veteran, acquire war medals that had been lost,...
August Newsletter: A Note From Molly
Summer is winding down in our region and our youth volunteers are returning to their classrooms. We are fortunate to have 16 youth among our volunteers. We hope their interactions with our veterans have made an impression on them. The name Hero's Bridge is indicative...
July Newsletter: A Note from Molly
Summer has proven itself to be a challenging time for our veterans, especially so this year. Finances are tenuous and making ends meet for older people has become harder than ever. Combine unprecedented storms, power outages, and sustained high temperatures with...
June Newsletter: A Note From Molly
This has been an exciting month for Hero's Bridge! While my team held down the fort, I attended the first week of the Bush Institute leadership program. This program is giving me an opportunity to learn from peers and national experts how to best grow the organization...
A Memorial Day Note from Molly
While we honor and help aging veterans everyday, there is always an echo of their younger selves that we can hear if we listen closely. It is the strong, vibrant young man or woman who left their school, their family, their friends to take up arms and travel to exotic...
April Newsletter: A Note from Molly
This was such an exciting month for us! We welcomed eighteen new veterans to our services which is a record number for us. One of our combat Vietnam veterans was also gifted a new roof by a local construction company. This is significant to us for several reasons....
March Newsletter: A Note From Molly
As an organization that serves aging veterans, many of the people we help are men who served in WWII, the Korean War, and/or the Vietnam War. Many, but not all. Over the years, we have featured female veterans who have had groundbreaking careers during their service....
December Newsletter: A Note From Molly
The holiday season is challenging. While in our personal lives, we are fortunate to have family and friends who love us and surround us to celebrate the holidays, our work with Hero's Bridge reveals a much lonelier side of the season. Our aging veterans returned home...
November Newsletter: A Note From Molly
Every day the Hero’s Bridge team demonstrates our thanks and gratitude for our veterans. We do this with many simple acts of kindness: a birthday card, a coloring page, assistance with groceries, and more. These simple acts are to help make days easier, less lonely,...
October Newsletter: A Note from Molly
Every day is Veterans Day at Hero's Bridge, however we are always grateful at this time of year when the nation takes time to recognize and honor all Veterans who have so honorably served. We will be spending special one-on-one time with many of our veterans that week...
September Newsletter: A Note From Molly
We have lost 7 of the veterans we serve since June. It is always difficult to learn that a veteran, who we cannot reach during our welfare checks, has passed away. But it also serves to remind us that right up until the very end of their lives, we offer help. This is...
August Newsletter: A Note From Molly
At Hero's Bridge, the majority of our requests for assistance are to help Vietnam Veterans. That war had special circumstances that left more damage in its wake than previous conflicts. A lengthy war spanning several presidents and cabinets. Politicians making...
July Newsletter: A Note From Molly
Summer is still in full swing and so are our Village plans. We are excited to continue promoting our brick fundraiser for all of our supporters to leave their mark on the Village. I would like to extend a special thanks to our Running for Hero's partners, Bobby Brooks...