Who We Are
In a sleepy corner of northern Virginia lays the thriving town of Haymarket, home of Park Valley Church where the first seeds of a mission of hope and help were sown. Although this close congregation was a great source of support for its members and the local community, Pastor Barry White challenged his flock to reach out yet further to find a need and step in to address it. He asked they report back after 30 days and share their stories and experiences. From this simple suggestion blossomed an idea that grew too large to maintain from the church walls, and Serve Our Willing Warriors (SOWW) and eventually the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run was established. It began with the founding members visiting recovering soldiers at the Ft Belvoir and Walter Reed hospitals, and continued well beyond the 30 day period into annual summer cookouts and holiday gift-giving visits. The gratitude received from these men and women, and the positive response for what they felt was so small an effort made it apparent that their mission was much greater; there was more that could be offered. On July 19th 2012 Shirley and John Dominick formally founded Serve Our Willing Warriors, a non-profit 501c3. The group’s goal was to establish a retreat for recovering service members to escape the clinical hospital environment, reconnect with their families, to refresh their minds and renew their spirits. In 2013, SOWW purchased 37 magnificent acres of scenic property on the edge of Bull Run Mountain in Haymarket, VA. The 11,000 square foot house built in 1977, underwent an extensive two-year renovation and now boasts five bedroom suites, a gourmet kitchen, game room, physical therapy and massage therapy rooms, and library. The retreat has two decks to accommodate the majestic views, an inviting stone patio with fire pit, a playground, BBQ area, vegetable garden, serenity garden, and walking trails. The makeover of this property was an incredible example of community goodwill, with over 100 professional contractors donating material and labor valued at over $1 million dollars. This effort also required hundreds of volunteers giving thousands of hours of their time and energy. The Warrior Retreat at Bull Run was presented to the general public at a ribbon cutting ceremony held on July 4th, 2015 and officially opened on Veteran’s Day, November 11th, 2015.
What We Do
OUR MISSION is to provide support and encouragement to our nation’s warriors and their families during their recovery process and a peaceful retreat for them to escape to and rebuild their lives. For nearly a decade, Serve Our Willing Warriors (SOWW) has been providing “a taste of home” for our wounded, ill and injured warriors and their families at both the Walter Reed and Fort Belvoir Community Hospitals. Our annual events have included gift-giving at holidays, summer cookouts and visitation with lonely service and family members. Our goal was to create a growing coalition of aware, engaged and supportive individuals, companies and communities to work alongside us as we continue to provide ongoing support to our wounded, ill and injured warriors and their families through sponsoring “Willing Warrior” hospital events and peaceful, restorative “Warrior Getaways” at our Warrior Retreat at Bull Run. We established the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run in 2015 in beautiful Haymarket, VA. Situated on 37 acres on the edge of the Bull Run Mountains, our 11,000 square foot house provides “a home away from home” for our outpatient warriors and their families currently residing at the nearby military hospitals. Our warriors and their families are invited to spend weekend or week-long retreats surrounded by an appreciative community that provides activities, Visiting Chef Program, special events and camaraderie in accordance with the desires of our honored guests.
