Wounded Warrior Challenge scheduled for May 13th at North Rockland High

By Victoria Smith and Coach Gregory Sirico
WARWICK — This year's fifth annual Wounded Warriors Project Challenge will be held Saturday, May 13, at North Rockland High School.
North Rockland and Warwick Valley will be competing for the Wounded Warrior Trophy, earning points in almost every high school varsity and JV sport:
Baseball varsity and JV;
Softball varsity and JV;
Tennis (varsity);
Boys and girls varsity golf;
Boys and girls varsity and JV lacrosse.
Jennifer Mackinday of the Wounded Warrior Project will be keynote speaker.
When her brother, Army Specialist James Smith, was wounded by an IED blast during combat operations in Mosul, Iraq, the list of impairments was long, and to most military caregivers, all too familiar: TBI, PTSD, elbow replacement, hearing loss, migraines and other complications. According to a story in the Washington Times: "What James found in his sister was something special: a devoted caregiver, trained through the Easter Seals and Wounded Warrior Project caregiving classes and mentorship program. An Elizabeth Dole Fellow, award-winning author and recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award, Jennifer has become a passionate advocate for military caregivers. She is also the proud mother of a United States Marine."
She will be having breakfast with the Wildcat Spring Athletic teams on May 13th on the campus of Warwick Valley High School at 7:30 a.m. open to athletes and parents of Warwick Valley High School.
Mackinday will then be sharing her story with the students from both North Rockland and Warwick during the opening ceremony at 9:30 a.m. at North Rockland High School.
The Wounded Warriors Project focuses on veterans and service members who were either physically or mentally injured during their military service on or after September 11, 2001.
It is an honor to compete in this event and demonstrates one of the many ways in which our school supports our veterans.
The Wounded Warrior Challenge is a fund-raising and awareness event for the Wounded Warrior Project.
Essential informationA $20 donation per student–athlete is requested.
All participants will receive a WWP T–Shirt and Continental Breakfast.
If you're interested in volunteering for the Wounded Warriors Project Games event, please call or email Coach Sirico at gsirico@wvcsd.org or 987-3050 EXT 12880.
All donations collected at the event will go directly to Wounded Warriors Project.