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Washington, DC -- Today, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society announced the top 27 finalists for this year’s Citizen Honors Awards, including the Boulder Crest Retreat Foundation based in Bluemont, Virginia. The finalists were selected through two rounds of judging by an independent panel, with the final round exclusively of Medal of Honor recipients. More than 110 nominations from around the country were received for the prestigious awards.

Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (VA-10) congratulated the team at the Boulder Crest Retreat Foundation today. In August of 2019, Wexton toured Boulder Crest Retreat Virginia and met with staff to learn more about their mission and work. 

Photos from the Congresswoman’s tour of Boulder Crest in August can be found here. 

“Every day in this country, ordinary Americans like the hard working staff at Boulder Crest make a difference through their acts of selflessness,” said Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton. “Their mission embodies the American spirit and their unique model of service has had a powerful impact in our community. I couldn’t be more proud that Boulder Crest is being recognized for the life-changing work they do to heal our veterans and first responders.”

“Boulder Crest is thrilled to be named by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society as a finalist for their 2020 Community Service Award. This is a testament to both the daily hard work of our staff and the importance the Society places on the wellbeing of our nation's fine service men and women,” said Boulder Crest Retreat Founder Ken Falke. “I cannot think of a more honorable group for our organization to be recognized by, than those Medal of Honor recipients who have given so much for this great country.”

The Boulder Crest Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 2011, that supports combat veterans and their family members, and first responders, who struggle with a number of mental health challenges as a result of their service, and advocates for the theory of posttraumatic growth to be the foundation of how they heal America’s heroes who have experienced trauma.

The Citizen Honors Awards recognize Americans whose exceptional courage and selfless service embody the values of the Medal of Honor: courage and sacrifice; commitment and integrity; citizenship and patriotism.

From the finalists, six U.S. citizens and one organization will receive the Citizen Honors Awards this year. The Valor Awards will be honored on March 25, 2020, Congressional Medal of Honor Day, in Washington, DC at a formal dinner being held at the International Spy Museum. The Service Awards will be presented May 14th, 2020 at The Belmond Charleston Place Hotel in Charleston, SC.

The honorees receive this award from a group of Americans whose actions have defined the words courage and selfless service -- the living members of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. These brave Americans have received the Medal of Honor for their acts of valor performed during wartime and present the Citizen Honors Awards to Americans who are showing courage and dedicating themselves to service here at home.

The Citizen Honors categories are: Single Act of Heroism (two honorees), Service Act Award, Community Service, Young Hero Award (two honorees), and The Youth Service Award. Boulder Crest was recognized as a finalist in the Community Service category. 

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society was chartered by Congress in 1958 to create a brotherhood among the living Medal of Honor recipients; to protect and uphold the dignity and honor of the Medal; to promote patriotism and love of country; and to inspire our youth to become worthy and dedicated citizens of our nation. Its membership consists exclusively of those individuals who have received the Medal of Honor. Today, there are 71 living recipients of the Medal of Honor. The Society is unique in that its membership hopes that there will be no need to welcome new inductees.

More information on the finalists and the Citizen Honors awards are available by contacting Kristi Hellmuth at Kristi.hellmuth@datocwitten.com.

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