The Envelope Please...Wounded Warrior Project™ Announces Winners of the Carry Forward Awards™

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The votes have been tallied in the first annual Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) Carry Forward Awards. The winners were chosen based on criteria reviewed by a panel of judges as well as votes cast by the public. The awards honor individuals who have gone above and beyond to further Wounded Warrior Project’s mission to honor and empower Wounded Warriors.

“Each of the individuals who were nominated has contributed an amazing amount of time and energy to benefit Wounded Warrior Project and for that we are so very grateful.”

“These were not easy decisions,” said Steve Nardizzi, executive director of Wounded Warrior Project. “Each of the individuals who were nominated has contributed an amazing amount of time and energy to benefit Wounded Warrior Project and for that we are so very grateful.”

The winners are:

Rick O’Brien – A Vietnam-era veteran who is driven to assist post-9/11 Wounded Warriors by combining his passion for motorcycles and golf into hugely successful fundraising events for WWP.

Ken Collom – A Wounded Warrior’s father who witnessed WWP’s outreach efforts first hand and became a passionate advocate and major fundraiser for the mission. He also pioneered WWP outreach in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Shaun Toy – A teenage son of an Army Colonel who was so moved by his father’s stories about the injured that, at only 16 years of age, he founded a non-profit organization that since 2010 has raised $30,000 for WWP. He is now beginning to pursue his own military career.

Chris Campbell – A fallen Navy Seal who died on August 6, 2011, when the Chinook helicopter he was in was shot down over Afghanistan. He had made a last-minute addition to his will to ask his family to raise funds for WWP. His family works tirelessly to fulfill his request.

Rick Allen – The drummer for the English rock band Def Leppard who himself lost an arm and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) now focuses his energies on helping Wounded Warriors by participating in WWP Project Odyssey™ programs, inviting warriors to be special backstage guests at his concerts, and by creating the Raven Drum Foundation, providing support in addressing PTSD.

The winners were selected based on a number of criteria, including the magnitude of their efforts, how many people were impacted, leadership qualities displayed in accomplishing their goals, the number of areas in which their efforts assisted Wounded Warriors and a public vote. Their stories can be found at Carry Forward Awards Winner's Stories.

The Carry Forward Awards is a campaign to recognize passionate individuals, culminating with an awards celebration fundraising event in California on October 21, 2012. Sponsorship opportunities and tickets are available. Additional event information can also be found at the Carry Forward Awards website. Funds raised at the event will further WWP’s 18 programs and build awareness of the needs of injured service members.

Wounded Warrior Project

The mission of Wounded Warrior Project™ (WWP) is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. WWP’s purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.