Two Wounded Warrior Families Offered a Christmas to Remember

Park City, Utah –Wounded warriors, Bradley Chidester of Fountain Green, Utah and Joseph Perez from Logandale, Nevada, along with their families, have been chosen to partake in a weekend of holiday cheer in Park City, Utah, courtesy of a non-profit organization, Christmas Can Cure.  The Park City community will embrace the two Iraq war veterans December 18-22 for a Christmas weekend vacation in hopes that the memories, meaning and possibilities of Christmas will be reenergized and renewed for these military families.
“The wars of the last 6 years have left our country with over 35,000 wounded veterans.  For these warriors and their families, returning to civilian life and coping with their disabilities has many challenges,” said Andre Carrier of Christmas Can Cure. “For many, the mental and physical strain only gets worse around the holidays with the added pressure, both emotional and financial, of providing a perfect Christmas for their families. To relieve this stress, Christmas Can Cure will give these soldiers a Christmas they can look forward to and remember for a lifetime.”
Christmas Can Cure (CCC) was created in 2008 by the Carrier Family who grew up in Jackson, New Hampshire. Two wounded warrior families were welcomed with open arms by the small town last December. The groundswell of support and energy behind the event was enough that friends of the Carrier’s have volunteered to host a Christmas Can Cure west in Park City.  Andre Carrier, who now calls Las Vegas home, and Greg Lee, his long time friend and business partner at the Eureka Resort Casino in Mesquite, Nevada, are heading up the events in Park City after last year’s success in New Hampshire.
"We're very excited to have the Park City community on board as our second host town for many reasons. Not only is it one of the great ski towns, but it's also home to the National Ability Center (NAC), the world's premier rehabilitation and outreach facility for many men and woman living with disabilities," said Greg Lee. "The NAC is excited to provide special programming for the Warriors and we’re really grateful for their partnership. Also, Resorts West will provide our warrior families with lodging and legendary service at its Silver Star property at Park City Mountain Resort.”
Continued Lee, “We’ve also recruited the help of friend and New Englander, Chris Waddell, a former Middlebury College ski racer, to introduce the program to Park City where he now lives. Chris is a true inspiration. He’s a five-time Paralympic gold medalist, and recently became the first Paraplegic to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro substantially unassisted.”
“On a weekly basis, we’re finding more support and excitement from the Park City community, and we hope even more people will join us and the warrior families throughout the weekend in December. From playing sled hockey, tubing and skiing with us, participating in a flag ceremony to honor our service men and women, to creating holiday greeting cards and making Christmas tree ornaments for the families, we’re trying to make it easy for the community to join us in giving back and creating a Christmas to remember for these worthy families.”
Lee will host a reception on Veteran’s Day, Wednesday November 11, at Season’s Lounge at the Eureka Resort Casino to announce this year’s Christmas Can Cure recipients, and unveil plans and needs for the December weekend. All are welcome to attend, and to learn more about Christmas Can Cure and the Eureka’s commitment to wounded veterans. The family owned and operated resort has a long-time commitment to wounded veterans through a partnership with the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). Every military holiday, the Eureka has called attention to the WWP by giving away WWP merchandise to guests, and then selecting a Warrior from the Project’s “Return to Work” training program to receive a resort vacation as a gift from the employees of the Eureka and its patrons.  Past Warrior recipients have gone to Hawaii, and still others have selected Las Vegas and Disney land vacations.  Another such trip will be awarded this Veteran’s Day as part of the festivities.
“By doing our part in giving back to our warriors on military-related holidays, we hope to put a name, a face and a story to our vets’ incredible contribution,” said Lee. “As hoteliers, we serve our veterans by doing what we do best: giving them a relaxing vacation away from everyday challenges and the opportunity to unwind and re-energize with friends and loved ones. Christmas Can Cure is an extension of this commitment – we hope it will become an annual effort in towns and communities across the nation.”
For more information about how to get your class, business, family or friends involved, visit www.christmascancure.org.

About Christmas Can Cure
Christmas Can Cure (CCC) is a 501c3 (application pending) formed in 2008 by the Carrier family of New Hampshire. The organization seeks to give military families in need the opportunity to experience a perfect Christmas. With the help of the Wounded Warrior Project, Christmas Can Cure gives selected wounded warriors and their families a Christmas to remember. Many veterans have spent one or more Christmas's deployed on active duty; wounded veterans may have spent Christmas in a rehabilitation hospital. CCC was formed to reenergize and renew the memories, meaning and possibilities of Christmas. CCC also seeks to provide a vehicle to help grateful citizens show their thanks to the men and women who have sacrificed so much in service to our country. For more information, visit www.christmascancure.org.

About Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project is a non-profit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors. WWP serves to raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women, to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. For more information, please call 877 TEAM WWP (832-6997) or visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

About Eureka Resort Casino
The Eureka Resort Casino is an intimate, newly renovated, 214-room resort located in Mesquite, Nevada, 35 miles south of St. George, Utah.  The hotel recently renovated each guest room, and built a resort pool and cabana with scenic views of Mesquite’s red-topped mesas.  The casino is designed for guest comfort and features slot and video poker machines; table games include blackjack, craps, roulette, and more.  The casino has Mesquite’s only 24-hour poker room with a race and sports book.  The Eureka offers three full service restaurants: Experience: The Buffet, Mesquite’s largest and only live action buffet; The Courtyard Café; and Eureka’s signature restaurant, Gregory’s.  The Eureka hosts weddings, meetings and golf outings in its Grand Canyon Ballroom and meeting rooms.  Additional information is available online at www.eurekamesquite.com.