Fayetteville wounded warrior center project seeks investors
FAYETTEVILLE (WTVD) -- Retired Marine Corps Sgt. Carlos Evans was on his fourth deployment in 2010. Towards the end foot patrol duty in Afghanistan's Helmand Province, he stepped on an IED.
"I thought that not having my legs, not having my left hand...my life was over," he remembered. "I thought I wasn't going to be the father I promised my girls to be, or the husband I promised my wife to be."
But four years later Evans, a former Camp Lejeune Marine who's made Fayetteville home, is more optimistic than ever before.
"I had a lot of people give me the extra hand that I didn't have, the extra feet that I didn't have," he said. "All so I could keep living my life and keeping walking and moving forward. I'm still here standing."
Evans and his wife Rosemarie are two of the strongest supporters of a proposed $20 million Wounded Warrior Family and Community Center in Fayetteville. The vision for the 110,000 square foot, multi-purpose center came about last year, when the local YMCA CEO spoke to a class of young students.
"Kids today are 10, 11, 12-years old...don't even know what 9/11 is, and we need to keep that in the front of us," said Rick Houp, CEO of the YMCA of the Sandhills.
Houp started drumming up support for the WWC, a current nonprofit that will ideally be housed in the proposed complex. The WWC would boast unique features, including three pool complexes, specialized workout centers, therapy and rehab rooms, childcare facilities, and a 100-seat auditorium where the community could hear the stories of our nation's heroes.
The center would also double as a monument and museum, making the complex the first of its kind in the nation.
"Every wounded warrior across the country will be able to tell their story on 24 electronic boards in the building," said Houp.
"I don't think there's anywhere here in this city that is specially adapted for a wounded soldier like myself to come by," said Evans. "So it's a need."
On Thursday afternoon, Houp gathered potential investors for lunch at Fayetteville's Embassy Suites. Dozens of people heard Evans' story, as well as what drew Retired Army Staff Sgt. Shawn Conaway to physical therapy at the Hope Mills YMCA. Conaway was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and depression following several overseas deployments. It led to a medical retirement in 2006.
Both men currently receive free memberships from the YMCA of the Sandhills through a partnership with the Wounded Warrior Project, Inc. The Wounded Warrior Center would follow a similar model, offering free membership to the veterans.
"It's not just the veterans who need that support. It's the family who needs that support, too," Conaway said, noting the therapy programs and benefits veterans' families would receive through the center. "I have my good days and my bad days. I have days where I might just yell. I might get angry. So I'm not just the one who needs the support. My family does too."
Conaway, 32, said the idea behind having workout and therapy facilities that cater to wounded veterans would build confidence and comfort. Since working with the Y over the summer, he's able to pull himself out of his wheelchair and balance on his own. His goal is to one day complete a marathon.
"Once you get that support, that's what turns you around," he smiled.
Houp said he hopes to build private partnerships, and team up with the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, Fort Bragg and the Department of Defense to raise the WWC's building funds. Operational costs would be handled by membership fees for the general public. The goal is to have the funds raised in 2015 before looking at potential locations. Houp said ideally, the WWC would be located in a high-traffic area, like the Ramsey Street corridor, with easy access to All-American Freeway and Interstate 295.
Evans said support of the WWC would be a way for the community to pay it forward and thank veterans for their sacrifice.
"An injury is not the end of our lives," said Evans. "Our injury is a stepping stone to keep moving forward, and this facility that we're talking about here will be a huge step to keep moving forward and to keep reaching to our community."
More information about the Wounded Warrior Center can be found at: www.thewoundedwarriorcenter.org.
