I-66 EMP RETURNS TO WILLING WARRIORS FOR MORE SPRING CLEANING

Roadway Operator Fixes and Paints Fencing, Removes Downed Trees on Wooded Trails Around Haymarket Veterans’ Retreat

Manassas, Va. April 30, 2024– On Thursday morning, volunteers from I-66 Express Mobility Partners (I-66 EMP) once again gathered at the Willing Warriors peaceful Haymarket campus for another spring cleaning session, continuing their annual tradition of assisting the non-profit and the families they serve.

For the benefit of the recovering veterans and military service members who spend multi-day stays at the Warrior Retreat – operated by Prince William County-based non-profit and I-66 EMP partner Willing Warriors – the volunteers replaced and painted fence planks, provided a skid-steer front-loader to relocate concrete and mulch, and removed a large fallen tree to ensure the hiking trails in the retreat’s 21 acres of forest are safe and maneuverable for visitors.

“We’re delighted to welcome our friends from I-66 EMP back here to the Warrior Retreat,” said Dianne Polk, director of operations for Willing Warriors. “Their volunteer work has made a tremendous impact on the beauty of our property and helps us serve our dedicated Warriors even more.”

The return visit to the Warrior Retreat is a continued demonstration of I-66 EMP’s commitment to enhancing quality of life for all Northern Virginians, particularly the region’s retired and active-duty service members and their families.

“It was a pleasure to come back to the Warrior Retreat for our second consecutive year of spring cleaning,” said Nancy H. Smith, director of corporate affairs for I-66 EMP and one of the group’s volunteers. “Willing Warriors does amazing work for recovering service members and their families, and we fully support their mission of providing a ‘home away from home’ for our nation’s uniformed heroes.”

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.