Malek donates $250,000 to support $10M capital raise for development of rehabilitation retreat for veterans and their families in Loudoun County
WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2011-The Boulder Crest Retreat for Wounded
Warriors, a 501(c)3 organization that is developing a free
rehabilitation retreat in Bluemont, Va., for wounded veterans and their
families as they reconnect and recover after returning from war, today
announced the addition of Fred Malek, co-founder and managing partner of
District Hospitality Partners, and Ike Skelton, partner at Husch
Blackwell LLP, to its board of directors. The organization also
announced a donation of $250,000 by Malek to support its $10 million
capital raise.
"It gives me great pleasure to welcome our first major donation from my
co-founder and vice chairman, Fred Malek. Fred's donation is extremely
important, as it will play a critical role in accelerating the
development of this project," said Ken Falke, the original founder of
Boulder Crest. "In addition, I would like to welcome our newest board
member, the Honorable Chairman and former Congressman Ike Skelton.
Chairman Skelton's understanding of our wounded warrior and wounded
warrior family policy issues bring a dimension to the board of directors
that will prove invaluable along the way."
Additional members of the board of directors include Anna Birch, Jack
Causa, John Coster, Tracey Ellis, Chris Ferguson, Sean Haynes, Kathleen
Keirnan, Rob Klingensmith, Steve Kupka, Tobin McGregor, Rob Veltre, Neal
Pollard, Henry Stoever, Justin Taft and Michael Westphal.
Malek has served in several areas of the military, including a tour of
duty aboard a naval amphibious ship and time with the Navy Special
Forces, specializing in drug interdiction in South America and winter
warfare readiness in Alaska. In addition, Malek is a combat veteran of
Desert Storm.
"As Americans, we share the responsibility to take care of our own and
especially to take care of the thousands of men and women who have given
their minds, bodies and souls to defend our freedoms and way of life. My
hope is that we can expedite the capital raise to build this retreat so
that our wounded warriors and veterans along with their families can
stay in this peaceful and rejuvenating retreat to enjoy, recover,
reconnect and plan for re-engagement in a noncombat theater," said
Malek.
Prior to joining Husch Blackwell LLP, Skelton served as the U.S.
representative from Missouri's 4th District from 1977 to 2011. As a U.S.
representative, Skelton focused on issues involving jobs and the
economy, the war in Afghanistan and military health insurance reform.
"We all owe wounded warriors, veterans and their families our gratitude
and our best efforts to help make their transition successful," Skelton
said.
"As a nation, while we are faced with funding challenges and limited
off-base healing venues for our own, we now have the unprecedented
opportunity at Boulder Crest to enrich the lives of our warriors and
their families," continued Malek. "I encourage our citizens to stand up
and join this noble cause - caring for our warriors who have fought and
sacrificed for all of us."
To make a tax-deductible donation to the Boulder Crest Retreat for
Wounded Warriors, go to http://tinyurl.com/bouldercrest2011.
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About Boulder Crest Retreat for Wounded Warriors
Boulder Crest Retreat for Wounded Warriors is a very special place
designed by Ken and Julia Falke, who seek to create a safe and relaxing
rural sanctuary for America's wounded warriors and their families.
Virginia's Loudon County approved the site plan in July 2011 for the
37-acre plot, which is located 60 miles northwest of the nation's
capital in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Falkes and the
board of directors foresee the retreat offering such "nonclinical"
therapy as nature walks, gardening, foraging, photography, bird and
wildlife watching, archery, and other adaptive sporting activities and
will also act as home to therapeutic dogs. Four
ADA-handicapped-accessible "greentech" cabins, an
ADA-handicapped-accessible "greentech" meeting house with organic
farm-to-table meals, a walled organic garden and field of organic
produce, and a bird sanctuary and fishing ponds will be built, and
off-site activities will be available to the veterans and their
families. The project is currently embarking on a local, regional and
national fundraising campaign for the targeted initial capital raise of
$10 million. For more information, go to www.bouldercrestretreat.org and find us on Facebook.
About Fred Malek
Fred is the co-founder and managing partner of District Hospitality
Partners, a travel-centric hospitality and technology company set up to
build, manage and invest in companies in the travel sector. Fred was
previously the CEO and co-founder of TIG Global, a leading interactive
services firm in the travel sector, which was recently purchased by
Micros Systems, trading under the stock symbol "MCRS." In addition, Fred
is also a co-founder and board member for several ventures in China,
including Hubs1, China's third-largest hotel reservation distribution
company, and JT Realty, a private-equity hotel investment fund based in
Shanghai.
About Ike Skelton
Ike Skelton is a partner at Husch Blackwell LLP, where he advises
clients on a variety of legal and public policy issues, especially
matters relating to national defense, small business and international
trade.