River Landing and Wallace, N.C., community honor the military and raise support for military families through Hope For The Warriors Invitational

Annual event engages the local community, honors military traditions through mess night and raises funds for national military nonprofit with golf tournament

WALLACE, N.C. (August 8, 2018) –The ninth annual Hope For The Warriors Invitational will celebrate military traditions while raising funds for Hope For The Warriors, a national military nonprofit dedicated to restoring self, family and HOPE for post-9/11 service members, veterans and their families. Held in Wallace, N.C., at River Landing Country Club and the surrounding businesses, the three-day event will take place this coming weekend, August 11-13.

With a focus on building a deeper understanding and appreciation between the military and civilian communities, the Hope For The Warriors Invitational bridges the gap between the two communities while supporting today’s combat veterans and military families. The Invitational has a unique way of building camaraderie, not only among the local military and civilian communities, but also among the flag officers, combat veterans and celebrities who attend. This year’s Hope For The Warriors Invitational is expected to attract nearly 40 retired flag officers and celebrities, including one- to four-star generals from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

“Hope For The Warriors cannot accomplish our mission alone. From the beginning, we’ve relied on community support to raise funds and awareness of our programs,” said Robin Kelleher, Hope For The Warriors CEO. “The annual Invitational is a prime example of the great things that can happen when military and civilian communities come together in support of our country’s warriors and their families.”

Residents of Wallace, N.C., and the surrounding communities are invited to attend the Mad Boar Block Party to kick off the Hope For The Warriors Invitational. Beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday, August 11, the family-friendly party will feature live music, autographs from World Series Champions Johnny Bench and Doug Flynn, food and beverage tents and more. Held outside the Mad Boar Restaurant, tickets to the event cost just five dollars with all proceeds benefiting Hope For The Warriors.

On Sunday, August 12, residents of the River Landing community will join combat veterans, flag officers, celebrities and other guests for a traditional mess dinner held inside the River Landing Country Club. Civilian guests will learn about the military ritual and associated protocol, as traditional procedures are followed throughout the evening. With General William “Spider” Nyland, USMC (Ret) acting as President of the Mess, attendees will enjoy dinner, sing the Marine Hymn, and countless “fines” will be assessed to individuals not following protocol and those found guilty of various offenses—all in good fun while raising support for Hope For The Warriors.

The action will move to the golf course on Monday, August 13, for the ninth annual Hope For The Warriors Invitational golf tournament at River Landing Country Club. Combat veterans are teamed with celebrities, flag officers and Hope For The Warriors’ supporters in an event that will attract nearly 200 golfers. Opening ceremonies will take place just outside the River Landing Clubhouse at 9:30 a.m., and the tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 10 a.m.

Attending the 2018 Hope For The Warriors Invitational include celebrities from Major League Baseball, National Football League and the music and entertainment industries. The impressive list of 14 flag officers attending includes representatives from each branch of the military. Among them, is Four-Star General William Nyland, USMC (Ret.), who served as the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps from 2002 until 2005.

With the continued support of Dell and Wendy Murphy and the River Landing community, the Hope For The Warriors Invitational has been able to raise over $1 million dollars since 2010. This year’s event is made possible by Dell Computers and Murphy Family Ventures, as well as several other partners and supporters.

For more information about this year’s Hope For The Warriors Invitational, visit hopeforthewarriors.org