Welcome
Dear Friends of the National Center for Healthy Veterans,
On this Veterans Day 2022, we must ask ourselves a very important question: “Where would we be without our Veterans?” What if they had concluded it was too windy, too wet, and too uncomfortable to venture onto the beaches of Normandy in June 1944? Gratefully, they didn’t ask such a self-serving question — they were there, they went across the beaches, and they unhinged an entire continent from an evil empire, they were “all in” … on behalf of future generations. As a result of their efforts, and the continuing efforts of our troops and families of today, we are the Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave. America will remain the Land of the Free because of our brave veterans who gave their very lives for the future of America, as well as our military who today selflessly serve at home and abroad. Perhaps a few mental snapshots will bring this important remembrance into better focus for all of us. While Veterans Day and Memorial Day have their own distinct emphasis, respectively on living veterans and those who have fallen on the field of battle, let me for a moment gain altitude to honor our veterans, both past and present. Consider the following:
- “Blades of Grass and Pure White Stones,” the title of a song written by Senator Orrin Hatch, commemorates Arlington Cemetery and the countless rows of grave markers, representative of fields around the world where our nation’s noble warriors have been laid to rest.
- Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address:
“… It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. - From the Apostle Paul, “The time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race and I have kept the faith.” We do well to honor “the good fight” of each of our faithful fallen warriors. We do well to value our current Veterans. And we do well to respect and encourage those who stand on Freedom’s Frontier this very moment on our behalf.
- From the great Roman orator Cicero, “Poor is the nation that has no heroes, but poorer still is the nation that having heroes fails to remember and honor them.” May we honor those who fight, bleed, and die for us and future generations. Our nation is at true peril when we fail to remember those who have made it all possible.
- For the family who has lost a loved one in the military, every day is Memorial Day. Perhaps that should be true for all of us… every day we honor the fallen and give thanks for the living who continue to serve.
The message on Veterans Day 2022 is simple: We honor those who serve at home and abroad today. As well, we honor their families— the great stroller brigades …. the priceless sprint into the waiting arms of a returning military member. We as a nation also honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. We must also ask ourselves a very important question: “Where would we be without our Veterans, past and present?” We pray for God’s abundant comfort for those loved one’s left behind, including those fellow warriors saddled with the guilt of survival. We thank, affirm and pray for those who serve today, along with their committed families. Where would we be without our Veterans? Gratefully, we don’t have to ask that question.
They have always been there for us. Now … we must be there for them, America.
In addition to honoring and celebrating Veterans, in PLAYS OF THE DAY we celebrate a new market, newborn piggies, and a new Patriot moving into his Valor Farm home. In MEET THE TEAM, you will be introduced to Danny Griego, a Top 10 Billboard Artist who is graciously performing our Veterans Day concert, with some of our Valor Farm talent mixed in! For DIVING DEEPER, we will focus on the power of Equine Assisted Therapy, along with IN THE MEDIA which highlights a nice layout about NCHV by the Southern Electric Cooperative. Wrapping up, we provide PRAYER priorities which undergird our entire efforts at the NCHV.
To close, I express gratitude to the many hands who are making light work at Valor Farm – staff, volunteers, Patriots and Veterans, and donors who are faithful to provide resources to fight this noble and urgent fight. We have extremely important work to do. Together with God’s guidance and provision, we can and must do this for our Veterans and for America!
Respectfully,
Robert F. Dees
Major General, U.S. Army, Retired
NCHV President & CEO
YOUR encouragement and generosity
have made these amazing things happen at Valor Farm. We certainly welcome and need your further support on behalf of Returning Healthy Veterans to America!
Join our Healthy Veterans Community!
Plays of the Day
- Currently undergoing remodeling, the Healthy Veterans Market is slated to open November 1. Hours will be Tuesday to Friday 3-6pm and Saturday 9-12pm.
- For our Patriots, the Market provides them opportunities to reach their God given potential and engage in meaningful work.
- The Market will serve as a center for engagement between Veterans and the local community.
- Products currently being sold include Healthy Veterans Beef, Pork, and Eggs as well as NCHV and Valor Farm shirts, jackets, and hats
- The Market will feature artisan made products by local and national Veterans as well as other local artisans in the future.
As I approached one of our pastures with 19 young lady pigs and their boyfriend I was greeted with the sight of six newly born piglets out for a stroll on their wobbly new-born legs. This vision of cuteness snapped me out of my frozen mindset. Even in a routine that at times can be grinding and challenging there is beauty in unique happenings, meaningful interactions with fellow coworkers and the patriots.
Regardless of the weather, regardless of life’s complexities if I take the time to look around I can be constantly and surprisingly grateful.
Nate York ~ Farming Manager ~ Valor Farm
The Valor Farm Family is excited to welcome Mark to his new home here at Valor Farm. Pictured above is Mark surrounded by our Valor Farm missional family as they wrap him in his new Lancaster County Quilt and pray for his new future here on the farm.
Meet The Team
Danny Griego is a Texas-based Country Singer/Songwriter whose rich blend of Outlaw, Cowboy, Americana, and Latin influences came to the fore on his 2014 album, “Cowboys, Outlaws & Border Town Dogs.” From his early days gigging around Arizona saloons and rodeos to lengthy stays in Nashville where he forged lifelong friendships with legends, including Hank Cochran, and Waylon Jennings, Griego has created a diverse catalog of songs that reflect his personal story. Some of his songs, like the 2014 single with Michael Martin Murphey “Lady Liberty” and 2018’s “Twenty-Two” were written to honor American military Veterans; as he has made frequent stops to sing at military bases and venues around the country during his tours. Over his life Danny has been a Resilient Warrior, teaching himself to play guitar after a debilitating injury, establishing a number of successful business ventures, and song writing and performing with some of the top Country Western talent in Nashville and across America. As an entrepreneur in music and business who is committed to helping Veterans, Danny Griego is the ideal performer to honor Veterans with his patriotic music. We look forward to having Danny in concert with us at Valor Farm immediately following our Veterans Day Commemoration on November 11, 2022.
Diving Deeper
by Jake Corwin, Valor Farm Ranch Foreman
We are excited to be diving deeper into our Equine Assisted Therapy programs! Over the summer Caitlin Hamm, Rani Magee, and Jacob Corwin completed certification courses to become accredited facilitators through a program called Arenas for Change (ARCH). This program leverages the naturally therapeutic effect of horses and combines it with proven coaching and mental health techniques to create an environment of emotional safety where facilitators ask intentional questions designed to guide clients as they unpack and analyze their experiences in the form of a developing story.
This detached format allows them to externalize their emotions and trauma, often by using the horses as physical representations of characters or character traits. By observing the unguided actions of a group of horses as they interact within the herd and with the facilitators and clients themselves, the client will often begin to draw comparative analogies which reveal hidden truths and bring clarity and understanding to what had been clouded and confused. These “arch” moments of realization and freedom can be incredibly powerful and life-changing as they allow the client to develop trauma resilience through self-awareness and understanding.
Our team chose to begin the program with an internal pilot, allowing them time to flex their new skills amongst friends. They each took turns as the client, as well as facilitating sessions with other staff members and patriots. The positive effects of their work became evident immediately. “Clients” experienced groundbreaking moments of self-discovery, facilitators experienced improved mental and relational health, and everyone who participated experienced an increase in camaraderie and a sense of strength within our team.
We are excited to begin offering these life-changing services to many Veterans and the public very soon.
Prayer Points
- Together we uplift the people of Ukraine in this tragic hour. May God guide you, protect you, and hide you under the shelter of His wings as the destruction passes by.
- Pray that the work of the National Center for Healthy Veterans would rapidly advance to provide help, hope, and healing for our nation’s Veterans and their families.
- Join us in praising God for the beauty of His Creation at Valor Farm — horses, rivers, cattle, valleys, chickens, the fruit of the land, the beauty of the fields, the wonder of His Creation.
- Join us in praising God for the amazing Army of NCHV volunteers, a multitude of generous supporters, and faithful staff.
- Pray that God would steady the hand of the 22 Veterans a day that are considering ending their lives.
- Without mentioning specifics, pray for the many Veterans and their families in our midst who have financial issues, health crises, relational dysfunction, and suffer from mental and emotional challenges. May God bring wellness to Veterans throughout the land.
- Pray that God will provide laborers and resources to “Return Healthy Veterans to America,” and may these Healthy Veterans provide unique contributions to America as role models, parents, educators, coaches, business professionals, and societal influencers
In The Media
Calendar
Weekly Schedule & Upcoming Events
- Mon-Fri: Daily Devotions with Staff, Patriots, Volunteers, and Friends of Valor Farm
- Thursdays at 4:00 p.m. Scheduled Tours
please contact Dianarider@healthyveterans.org if interested.
Thursdays: Community Campfire at Valor Farm 6pm
Come join us for fellowship!
- November 11, 2022: 3rd Annual Veterans Day Celebration at Valor Farm and Concert, 4 p.m. • Keynote Speaker: Dr. Tim Lee • Concert by Danny Griego
