An outdoor retreat program that honors our veterans and their families' sacrifices and assists them in their journey towards healing the mental and physical pain of loss. The Story:
The seed for House in the Woods Military and Family Retreat began almost immediately in Paul and Deanna's hearts after being notified that their youngest son, Joel, had been killed by a roadside bomb in Taji, Iraq whil
e serving in Operational Iraqi Freedom on June 23, 2007. Soldiers and friends of their son, Joel, traveled from Ft. Later that day, these “brothers” shared memories at the House’s family camp on Silver Lake. They swam, kayaked, roasted marshmallows over a campfire, and were eventually even able to laugh and tell jokes despite the enormous pain in their hearts. Surrounded by nature and "family", battle-hardened soldiers were able to put aside the facade of emotional impenetrability to express the buried emotions of sorrow, grief, guilt, and pain. The House family traveled to a memorial service at Ft. Hood, TX later that month, and once again found themselves coming together, sharing with military friends who were struggling with their own personal scars surrounding war. These moments brought times of tears and times of laughter. These moments were critical steps in the long road to healing. It was through these impromptu gatherings that Paul began to envision a program which could help families and military coping with the inner demons of war and with the loss of loved ones who had served in war. Six months later, on November 30, 2007, lightning struck twice in the small town of Lee, Maine. Blair Emery was killed by a roadside bomb while serving our nation in the U.S. With the community to comfort and support them through the grieving process, Bill & Quie began to heal and eventually came to realize the power of connecting with others who had experienced similar tragedies. House in the Woods Military & Family Retreat (HITW) was born and nursed through its initial 5-Year Goals and Vision Plan. It navigated through its exciting, but challenging, Idea and Start-Up phases by focusing on creating immediate programs that would reach veterans and by networking with individuals and businesses who understood the need. In 2014 it began encouraging its Board and staff to look towards the possibilities of the future as they transitioned into their Growth Stage, a stage in which “nonprofit mission and programs have taken hold in the marketplace, but where service demand exceeds current structural and resource capabilities” (Stevens 31). The Need:
As HITW achieved many of its 5-year start-up goals, including financial stability, the nonprofit added the goal of building a lodge and office facility in the northeast corner of Penobscot County which would house participants for more diverse recreational outdoor activities . In 2014 ground was broken on a 4 1⁄2 acre plot of land to construct a 7200 square foot multi-story facility on the Skunk Hill Road in Lee, Maine. Thanks to many donors and businesses, the nonprofit was well underway with construction of this $1.5 million facility. By 2016, the nonprofit planned to offer weekly excursions that would be accessed by ATV mobility throughout the vast network of trails and chain of lakes in the region. The need now existed for a permanent facility that would house up to 24 veteran guests overnight, allow for short-term day activities, store the increasing acquisition of recreational vehicles, and allow for office space as our paid and volunteer staff continued to grow. Mission Statement:
The House in the Woods, Military & Family Retreat mission is to create a therapeutic, recreational, and educational retreat for our nation’s U.S. armed forces and their families, using outdoor wilderness activities in Maine and other natural habitats, to help participants share common challenges related to their service and sacrifice in protecting our nation’s freedom and democratic ideals.
Guiding Purpose:
Generations of American men and women have sacrificed their lives to protect our American heritage. Since the Revolutionary War, our nation’s military has answered the call to defend family, community, and nation against foreign aggression at home and abroad. For many, the price of American liberty has been total—it has cost them their lives, their dreams, their futures. House in the Woods, Inc. A Military and Family Retreat believes heroes and their families need a place to come together, to let down their defenses for a while, to just be human together with others who may understand the price of freedom. As each generation of combat veterans returns home, they will need the continued support of America to deal with the physical and emotional struggles they face. Sometimes the only one who can understand a vet is another vet. By creating outdoor retreats, we are helping our veterans and their families connect with veterans across military branches and generations. Description:
The House in the Woods, Inc, A Military and Family Retreat received its 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit (TAX ID # 27-0183317) business status on July 16, 2009 to provide a free educational, therapeutic, and recreational retreat in a safe and nurturing milieu to our nation's military, veterans, and military families. Our mission is to bring together and honor our nation’s heroes, U.S. service members who have served on active duty in defense of our American heritage—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness--and their families. We pause to remember and celebrate the accomplishments of our U.S. Armed Forces during the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As this "Next Greatest Generation" returns home, HITW seeks to become a key resource toward the readjustment and reintegration back into the culture and homes these soldiers have sacrificed of themselves to protect. Our goal is to create a caring and compassionate, paid and volunteer, workforce trained to challenge participants to work together to overcome the injuries and traumas of their experiences. Utilizing the natural healing powers of Maine’s outdoor heritage and under the leadership of Maine Registered Master Guide Paul C. House, HITW will offer outdoor programs to bring together small groups of active military, veterans, and their family members to relax, share, bond, and deal with the stress, loss, grief, and other emotions which can haunt the grieving soul. HITW shares with its participants canoeing, kayaking, hiking, hunting, fishing, nature tours, campfires, swimming, wildlife identification and spotting, and other natural eastern Maine resource “treasures” God has given our beautiful state to enjoy. Whether participants are sitting under the countless stars on a cloudless summer night or reflecting on their reflections in the glass-like stillness of a Maine pond during a 4am summer sunrise, there is a therapy in realizing one’s enduring place in eternity. As participants face the outdoor challenges presented by Mother Nature herself, they will derive a sense of accomplishment, find through exercise a release of stress, and have the opportunity to talk and share with one another laughter, memories, sorrow, service, and pride, among many other common bonds. The Benefit:
If one thinks about the income development of the average veteran, one can understand how important free services such as HITW’s outdoor retreats are. A young person typically enlists in the military after high school. S/he spends his or her 20’s and maybe 30’s earning a low-to-moderate income while their contemporaries are going to college or starting businesses. By the time this generation turns 40, the non-military begins to enter mid-stage career or see larger returns on their business ventures, while the military pathway person retires from the military and enters the civilian workforce or uses the G.I. Bill to enter college. The retired military person may have a disability which prevents him or her from engaging in many types of work. The retired military person who is now 20 years behind the non-military contemporary will also have fewer years to see his or her profession or business grow beyond the low-to-moderate income level. The benefit to low-to-moderate income individuals is demonstrated through our target market, an American veteran, who has served our country and sacrificed their earning potential. HITW is free to U.S. service members from all generations and their families. We provide a type of therapy, recreation, and education which would be very expensive otherwise.
