After celebrating veterans at the popular, decade-long Saluting Our Heroes luncheon, the Park City adaptive organization shifts efforts to recognize military population and local first responders with annual Field of Flags Event and Inaugural Salute Your Hero Contest
Park City, Utah (Oct. 9, 2020) – To celebrate Veterans Day and show gratitude for our nation’s brave veterans and active military personnel, the National Ability Center (NAC), a leading organization dedicated to empowering individuals of differing abilities, announced it will host the annual Field of Flags event along with an inaugural Salute Your Hero Contest. Both events are designed to highlight Utah’s military community, along with the first responders and healthcare workers that have dedicated their lives to ensuring our health and safety.
“At the NAC, we are committed to honoring the incredible sacrifice our military personnel and veterans have made on behalf of our freedom, and this Veterans Day is no different. In fact, we have the added responsibility and pleasure of extending our appreciation to the immeasurable ways first responders and healthcare workers have risen to recent challenges,” says Kevin Stickelman, CEO of the National Ability Center. “This new take on our storied Saluting Our Heroes luncheon is rooted in our organization’s history of serving the military community and visually illustrates our appreciation for this brave group of men and women. We are pleased to offer the two Salute Your Hero contest winning veterans and/or first responder an outlet to experience adventure and relaxation through our programming and are thankful to our partners for working with us to create this updated event.”
The Field of Flags will feature more than 150 American flags arranged in front of Miners Hospital in Park City, as a display of gratitude. This show of military appreciation will run from Monday, Nov. 9 until Friday, Nov. 16 and is generously sponsored by The Boeing Company, the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, Vail EpicPromise, Utah Live Elevated, ABC4, Del Taco, Zions Bank and Edwards LifeSciences. The second component of the revamped Saluting Our Heroes event is the Salute Your Hero competition. From Friday, Oct. 9 through Friday, Oct. 30, friends and family of military service members, veterans, first responders, or healthcare workers are invited to nominate their hero for a complimentary health and wellness trip to the National Ability Center Ranch valued at $5,000. The Boeing Company and George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation are each sponsoring a getaway for a three day, two night stay in the NAC lodge for up to six guests. Winners will be treated to free lodging and meals and have access to the NAC’s world-class adaptive recreation programs. Winners will be announced via social media and email on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
“This year, we are thrilled to continue our partnership with the National Ability Center as they remain committed to serving our military servicemen and women, both physically and emotionally,” said Joel Raup, general manager, Boeing Salt Lake. “Given Boeing’s long history of serving our nation’s military by providing resources, career opportunity and equipment to the armed forces, our support to them remains a core mission. It’s truly an honor to continue serving the military population through both of these events. Boeing is committed to helping veterans and their families as they work to transition from military to civilian life.”
Through community partnerships and incredible staff, volunteers, and donors, the NAC can continue its mission of providing accessible recreation opportunities to people of all abilities. For more than 30 years, the NAC has served the military community through individual lessons, family camps and retreats and adventure programs. With over 1,500 military participants annually, this audience is a critical part of the heartbeat of the adaptive mission and is the largest population served at the NAC. To learn more about Field of Flags or to nominate a veteran in the Salute Your Hero contest, visit https://discovernac.org/salute-your-hero/. For additional information about the National Ability Center, visit discovernac.org.
About the National Ability Center
The National Ability Center provides world-class adaptive recreation and Splore outdoor adventures for individuals and families of differing abilities, physical, cognitive, and developmental, including competitive athletes, youth, veterans, and more. Rooted in Park City, UT for over 30 years, with additional facilities in Salt Lake City and Moab, the National Ability Center empowers participants by building self-esteem, confidence and lifetime skills through inclusive programming and activities such as alpine and nordic skiing, snowboarding, horseback riding, cycling, swimming, rafting, archery, among others. With Vail’s EpicPromise as the National Ability Center’s largest annual community partner, NAC is globally recognized as a leader in adaptive sports. For more information, visit www.discovernac.org.
