A. James and Alice B Clark Foundation – 2023 Q3 Report
Boulder Crest Foundation Programs
Boulder Crest Foundation provides transformative programs that introduce the military, veteran, and first responder communities to the principles of Posttraumatic Growth and teach them practices to help them turn their struggle into strength. During the 3rd Quarter ending 10/31/2023, we served 4,890 people through our Family Rest & Reconnection Stays and suite of PATHH and Struggle Well programs. Click Here for more details about how these programs serve our nation’s heroes.
Quarterly Story of Impact
Steven served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Jungle Operations Patrol Leader and left the service in 1990 with a 100% VA PTSD disability rating. Despite a service-related injury he became a Driver/Paramedic Engineer with the local fire department and served in this capacity for 16 years, and then was a school teacher for seven years. Then the COVID-19 pandemic began and, “I totally shut down. I was a PTSD nightmare in the works.”
Steven heard about Warrior PATHH through an email and decided to apply because, “I just want[ed] to get better.” He traveled to Boulder Crest Arizona and the PATHH Guides observed that Steven arrived outgoing, curious, and willing to do the hard work to transform his life. He began to open up about his struggles during the “What Happened” module and left Boulder Crest with the practices he needed to stop allowing his past to rule his life.
Steven’s brother, Chris, served in the U.S. Navy and deployed during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Steven stated that both he and Chris struggled with drinking issues and Steven felt that Chris “got the short end of the stick. [I] told him to apply [to Warrior PATHH] and he did.” Chris attended Warrior PATHH at Boulder Crest Arizona. Steven reports that he and Chris “both embrace our experiences at Warrior PATHH Arizona and the wellness practices [taught there]. We are each other’s 3 to 5.”
But the story does not end here: “Dad has been struggling for many years with anger issues from his childhood and military life. Dad really wanted to have a productive life with his remaining years. He saw that [my brother and I] let everything go at Warrior PATHH and wanted a fresh start.” Dad, Anthony, thus applied for Warrior PATHH.
Anthony served in the U.S. Marine Corps but is not a combat veteran; he was injured during an amphibious training exercise and refused an invasive surgery to repair pieces of his spine, which led to his dismissal from USMC service. Anthony said he applied because he wants to be the best version of himself. He added, “I haven’t got much longer to go so I need to make it fast!” Anthony attended Warrior PATHH at Boulder Crest Arizona and PATHH Guides noted that he arrived “quiet, attentive, and excited about the possibilities for growth.” He left Boulder Crest with new-found belief in himself and a realization that he has a lot of life left, and many gifts to share with those around him.
Steven reports that he, his brother, and his father are all “thriving” and “we are all working together to hold each other accountable for our actions.”
