I-66 EMP Grants $5,000 To Sponsor Willing Warriors’ Thanksgiving Dinner

The 66 Express Operator Honors Veterans and Their Families As the Holiday Season Begins

Manassas, Va. November 24, 2025 – Inside the dining room of the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run in Haymarket, Va., veterans of our nation’s armed forces gathered Sunday evening with their families and volunteers of the Willing Warriors organization to celebrate a patriotic Thanksgiving feast.

The vets and their families enjoyed fellowship and camaraderie over heaping plates of traditional Thanksgiving staples, courtesy of 501(c)(3) non-profit Willing Warriors.

“Our central mission is to create an environment where veterans can relax, re-charge, and re-connect with what’s important,” said Sarah Ford, executive director for Willing Warriors. “We love seeing our heroes and their families enjoying themselves here at the Warrior Retreat, and we’re grateful to partners like I-66 EMP for making it possible.”

I-66 Express Mobility Partners (I-66 EMP), the builder and operator of the 66 Express Outside the Beltway in Fairfax and Prince William counties, was on hand as a sponsor of the dinner, having contributed $5,000 to the festivities.

“Willing Warriors has become a meaningful partner for us over the years, so we’re delighted to show our support to our nation’s veterans during the Thanksgiving season,” said Nancy H. Smith, corporate affairs director for I-66 EMP. “This cause is especially close to home for us—many members of our own team are veterans themselves. Supporting Willing Warriors is one way we honor their service and show how thankful we are for the freedoms and quality of life they’ve sacrificed for.”

About Willing Warriors:

Willing Warriors began on July 12, 2012, as a volunteer and community-supported 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing our country’s recovering wounded, ill, and injured military service members, veterans, and their families with programs that positively affect their well-being and lives. Willing Warriors operates The Warrior Retreat at Bull Run, a 37-acre estate overlooking the historic Bull Run Mountains in Haymarket, Virginia. The Retreat features two beautifully appointed ADA-accessible homes offering wounded Warriors and their families no-cost five-night respite stays. The stays allow the Warriors and their families a temporary escape from the day-to-day demands of recovery in a hospital or rehab environment. For more information, visit www.WillingWarriors.org.

About the 66 Express Outside the Beltway:

Part of VDOT’s Transform 66 Outside the Beltway program, the 66 Express Outside the Beltway is a transformative 22.5-mile multi-modal mega-project featuring advanced dynamic-tolling systems to keep traffic flowing at all times. The lanes provide Northern Virginia commuters, businesses, and mass transit with a reliable option to move people, goods, and services throughout the I-66 corridor, allowing drivers to Sit Less, Live More. Visit www.Ride66Express.com to learn more, and keep up with the 66 Express Outside the Beltway on Facebook and Twitter.