Healing Hearts in Hope Veterans Retreat Center Grand Opening May 21, 2011

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News Release

For Immediate Release

Monday, May 16, 2011

 

Contact:  Dayna Kennedy, (who is coordinating media inquiries) 651-675-8029; or, Teresa “Flying Eagle” Baird, founder and owner of Healing Hearts in Hope Veterans Retreat Center, 360-691-6284; or Michelle Ochoa, HHH VRC Council member, 503-454-0955.

 

REMEMBER OUR VETERANS AT THE BEST EVENT OF MAY 2011

(Granite Falls, WA) – Healing Hearts in Hope Veterans Retreat Center (HHH VRC) invites veterans, their families, and the public to its Grand Opening on Saturday, May 21, 2011 from 1pm – 5pm.  Nestled near the base of Mount Pilchuck, this 17 ½-acre retreat center is located in the foothills of the Northwest Cascade mountain range at 28902 Mountain Loop Hwy, Granite Falls WA 98252.  Parking is free.  Donations at the event are welcome.

            The event includes remarks from Teresa “Flying Eagle” Baird, the founder and owner of the center; Raymond (Ray) Miller, HHH VCR Council Member and Master of Ceremonies for the event, and others.  First gentleman, Michael Gregoire, a Vietnam veteran and a member of Friends of the Center, will also participate in the opening and flag-raising ceremony. Veterans on Harleys will also be in attendance.

            Healing Hearts in Hope Veteran Retreat Center (HHH VRC) is the brainchild of Teresa “Flying Eagle” Baird, who donated the land.  It boasts a sweat lodge and hosts Women’s and Men’s Talking Circles.  Resourcing healing modalities is a primary focus.  Trusted professionals and vets are invited to share their knowledge in regards to soldiers’ hearts, and the many facets of war that linger while service members overcome the conflicts that arise as the journey to healing unfolds.

            Raymond (Ray) Miller retired from the U.S. Air Force after 21 years of service.  Formally, he worked for 12 years with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.  As a clinical therapist there, Miller specialized in combat-related post traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse issues.  He is the founder of Vets Place Northwest – Welcome Home and has served as its president for five years.  A key focus of this organization is to move veterans from homelessness to home ownership.

 

            The vision and inspiration for HHH VRC is dedicated to the memory of William L. Baird, the husband of Teresa.  Bill Baird served during the Vietnam War, yet took his own life as a result of delayed stress years after his service.

            “This beautiful, naturally balanced forest is a way to give my heart, our hearts to our veterans.  They are a core of our country, the heart of our country,” said Teresa “Flying Eagle” Baird. “But what becomes of our veterans?  What happens to their families?  I want veterans who are experiencing emotional war wounds to contact our center.  In my advocacy, I’ve learned the more you help others, the more you help yourself.  It’s beautiful to watch others use this concept and heal.  I’ve seen it and it is beautiful.”

The stated vision for HHH VRC is “for healing our veterans, protecting the land which heals, and thanking service people for their sacrifices.”  For more information about HHH VRC, its Council members, and offerings, go to hhh-vrc.host-ed.net. 

About “Teresa Flying Eagle” Baird

As a quadriplegic, Teresa “Flying Eagle” Baird has accomplished more than she ever thought possible when, in 1987, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.  From her home in Granite Falls, she has raised four of her six children on her own, following the tragic death of her husband, a Vietnam veteran.

A quick glimpse into her history reveals the accomplishments of a tireless advocate for wheelchair access and disability issues and for veterans’ affairs.  Teresa has won admiration at the state capitol in Olympia, Washington, a campus that had terrible accessibility for persons with disabilities.  Her effort and collaborations resulted in Governor Gregoire allocating $1.3 million to resolve the problems.  Teresa also inspired Washington state’s first “Welcome Them Home” Ceremony in April 2005, to honor war veterans, past and present, deceased and living. The tradition continues statewide.

Her MS has not kept Teresa from creating change throughout Snohomish County for more than 16 years as she continues to raise awareness about accessibility and public transportation.   She demanded that issues not only be raised, but also, resolved.  Among her many recognitions, Teresa was inducted into the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Volunteer Hall of Fame in 2005 for her (then) more than 10 years of advocacy efforts.

Teresa also was instrumental in the formation of the Greater Washington MS Chapter’s first Government Relations Committee, a volunteer group that helps the chapter prioritize and track legislation on MS issues, as well as develop positions and lobbying strategies.

A writer, too, Teresa has self-published several fables, all of them with themes of overcoming adversity.

The name “Flying Eagle” did not arise from Teresa’s ethnic heritage, which is a combination of Cree, Chippewa and Caucasian.  But, rather, she took on this middle name, Flying Eagle, after skydiving (replete in an outfit of an American flag) --- not once, but twice --- in an effort to celebrate life and to show how limitless is the life of person with disabilities.  For photos of the tandem jump, go to:  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/zoom/html/2004152285.html

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Thank you Teresa for your generous gift that you have given our Veterans.  Also, thank you for being such a great inspiration to those of us with M.S. 

Your strength and your smile are beautiful to see. 

Krissa