Rolling Thunder’s mission is to educate, facilitate, and never forget by means of a demonstration for service members that were abandoned after the Vietnam War. Rolling Thunder has also evolved into a display of patriotism and respect for all who defend our country.

It's fitting that PS Charities gets involved in this run. We support our vets and military families, and we're raffling a custom OCC chopper to benefit a wounded marine and his familiy. The good folks at Patriot Harley-Davidson have invited us to bring the chopper over for the weekend and enjoy the festivities.

Patriot hosts over 7,000 bikes throughout the weekend. Come on up and enjoy the festivities. And if you ride, you can't miss the Ride of the Patirots on Sunday morning! A big thank you to Don, Robin, and the great folks at Patriot! Here is a schedule of events.

The weekend started Thursday with a cookout and silent auction sponsored by Gilligan’s. On Friday over 100 golfers teed off at Paradise Point Golf Course at Camp Lejeune.

100% of every dollar raised goes directly to the cause. A special thank you to the golfers, 20 volunteers, and over 50 sponsors and donors who made the event a huge success! See you next year!

A big thank you to all our Sponsors:

And our many In-Kind donors!

Join us at Gilligan's May 3rd at 5pm for a good time! Spread the word by downloading a copy of the flyer advertising this event!

PS Charities supporter Jared Surdin has already raised $1,213 for the cause in just a few short weeks.  Due to his incredible fundraising efforts, Make a Wish National has agreed not only to match his amount, but also to triple it! So in essence, Jared has raised over $4,000 dollars!  

The more donations Jared receives, the more Make a Wish National will contribute. Help Jared Make a Wish by donating here:

http://www.midatlantic-community.org/jaredandmiriam

The National 24-Hour Challenge is a nationally recognized marathon cycling event that takes place annually in Michigan over Father’s Day Weekend.  The object of the event is to ride as many miles as possible in 24 hours. There are more than 20 age brackets and over 1,000 riders participate each year. The route consists of a 121-mile loop, followed by a 57-mile loop, followed by an 8-mile night loop that rides repeat until the 24-hours expire. Matt will be participating in this event for the first time to benefit the United States Air Force Aid Society.

The Total 200 is a 200 mile cycling event from Washington DC to the southern tip of Maryland at Solomon’s Island and back to Washington DC, all in one day.  This is a grueling ride featuring tough hills  and extremely hot/humid riding conditions.  Matt will be participating in this event for the third year and all donations will again go to support the PS Charities Cancer Support Fund, providing financial assitance to patients in the fight against cancer.

Col McKeon is a 24 year combat veteran of the Air Force and a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

At the event, we had several people come up and just donate to the cause. We even had one Marine, currently serving, come to our table to learn more about the cause and donate some money. He was very touched by what we are doing as he has done two tours in Afghanistan himself. That moment was very humbling for me and made me feel like all of the hard work we have been putting into this cause is really worth while, not only for the Pearl family, but for our military community as well.

As the Capitals game got underway, Marcus Johansson was the first to get a tally. We must have been good luck for him! During the first intermission we raffled off our first set of prizes, including a few gift certificates and a few pairs of tickets to the March 8 Washington Capitals game.  Sky Kerstein, reporter for 106.7 the FAN, donated his time that night to call out the raffle winners for us! After the first raffle, we drew some more people over to our table to donate and throw their names in the bowl for a chance to win some signed jerseys or lunch with Nick and MoJo.

During the second period, the Capitals continued to battle hard, as we continued to battle towards our goal of raising $5,000! By the time we announced the winners of the second round of raffles, we were at almost $3,000! One of ProSol’s employees, Steve Bowles, won a Brooks Laich signed jersey! The other jerseys that were raffled off were Mike Green and Nick Backstrom.

There was an exciting last few minutes of the game, where the Capitals held on to their victory, their first win in three games! Just goes to show that there is good luck in doing good! It was time to raffle off the grand prize! The winner of the lunch with Nick Backstrom was Bill Haase, the father of one of our volunteers Lindsay Haase! It was a great night for all involved, the Capitals won, Lindsay, Suzy, and I all had a great time putting on the event and the Front Page was a great host!

Thank you to all that participatied in the raffle and came to our happy hours. And a big thank you to Sky Kerstein for being our MC, Jorge Fernandez for letting us use the Front Page and providing us with some awesome raffle prizes, and to Nick Backstrom for so graciously offering his time to help support our event! We could not do what we do without support from people like you! Our final total was $3,521!

Registering for the match $20
Purchasing a Shooting for Eden t-shirt-$16
Purchasing a Shooting for Eden Velcro patch -$10
Purchasing raffle tickets for $20- to enter the drawing of having a chance to win an Orange County Chopper

There were about 96 shooters, if not more, who participated in the match. It was a great gathering of friends, comrades, brothers and sisters in arms as well as people who simply wanted to help a wounded veteran and his family. In addition to the funds made from sales of raffle tickets and admission, the crowd was very generous and made additional donations. It was a huge success and nearly $3,000 was raised.

Just like Eden contributed to our freedom and safety; PSC will continue to support this cause to help the Pearl family build a custom house that meets Eden’s disability needs.

Thanks again to all those that came out to support the events help by PS Charities.  Let me finish by saying this event would not have been possible without the great effort by our PS charities volunteers, Willie Parent, Lindsey Orabona, Michelle Rademacher and Leidy Ortiz. 

“In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us.”

Admission tickets were sold for $10 that included the free appetizers  , $2 Domestic bottles and $3 Bernheim Whiskey shots (provided by  Napper Tandy’s)

PSC offered raffle prizes that were used to create a great incentive for people to buy raffle tickets.

The crowd was not many but the difference made by those who attended was great.  We were grateful that many people from many miles away came to support the event. It was a great gathering of friends, comrades, brothers and sisters in arms as well as people who simply wanted to help a wounded veteran and his family. In addition to the funds made from sales of raffle tickets and admission, the crowd was very generous and made additional donations. It was an unprecedented success and nearly $ 1,500 was raised.

 I truly believe that many who attended this event can say they feel as though they were proud to be a part of this event.  It gave them an opportunity to reflect on how thankful we are and should be to have American’s like Eden Pearl and all of our veterans who have made so many sacrifices for our country.

Last year PS Charities raised money in support of the Race for Hope - DC. Money from the race benefits the community working to stop brain cancer in its tracks. Our team captains have loved someone who lost the fight again brain cancer so this race is important to them. Here's a video from a happy hour event raising money for Team Steve and Team Ellen's Friends. We're looking forward to this years race on May 6th!

Read it here

PS Charities is more than just one charity. We are hundreds of people joined together by a passion to serve our community. We are relentless in the effort to creating a better life for the ones we care for. We bring hope into the lives of those affected by cancer. We support the men and women who protect our country. We are more than just one charity; we are a family, we are a community, and we are passionate about our cause.

Many of our members at PS Charities, including staff, volunteers board members, contributors, and sponsors, have a personal connection with our cause. Whether survivors of cancer, family to military, or simply believe in helping others, the people of PS Charities are united by the passion to support people who truly need a helping hand.

Check out our YouTube video promoting the PS Charities "Building a House" project for MSGT Eden Pearl.

"Build a House" events benefit MSGT Eden Pearl, who suffered a traumatic brain injury and 3rd degree burns on over 90% of his body after his vehicle was struck by an IED in Afghanistan. Funds are raised to provide the Pearl family with a custom home that meets Eden's disability needs.

You can do more to help! Win a 2010 OCC Custom Chopper and help us "Build a House"

• Purchasing a filled glass with the 2^nd MSOB logo and the Build a House event logo.

• Participating in the auction of a certificates that people won during the raffle and donated back to the cause.

• Purchasing a brick, window panes, doors, chimney, Flag or shingles- these donations ranged from $5-$500--- Of course these aren't real materials - you buy space on a 4' x 8' banner to write Master Sgt Eden Pearl a personal message. The banner looked like a house and the message went on the material purchased.

• Admission tickets were sold that included the buffet and a drink ticket.

The event included two live bands, all the food you can eat and of course beverages at discounted prices. Special guests included Alicia Pearl, MSgt Pearl’s wife, the President of PS Charities and Phil from Brothers in Arm Foundation.  One of the biggest take away from their speech was how thankful they were for the gratitude people were showing for this cause. The event had more than 150 people who attended many of whom were in tears following Alicia’s speech. It was a great gathering of friends, comrades, brothers and sisters in arms as well as people who simply wanted to help a wounded veteran and his family.  It was an unprecedented success and on a gorgeous December Sunday afternoon. Nearly $45,000 was raised.

I truly believe that many who attended this event can say they feel as though they were proud to be part of this event.  It gave them an opportunity to reflect on how thankful we are and should be to have American’s like Eden Pearl and all of our veterans who have made so many sacrifices for our country.

Just like Eden contributed to our freedom and safety; PSC will continue to support this cause along with the Brothers in Arms Foundation to help the Pearl family build a custom house that meets Eden’s disability needs.

“You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give.”
-- Winston Churchill

The keynote speaker at the luncheon was Tracy Grant. At 39 years-old in 2003 she had a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. Tracy's key message was you have the power to respond to the challenges of life. In a room full of survivor's everyone understood.

She maintained a video journal to cope with and document her experiences. The diary is the foundation for her documentary, "I Remain". You can check out the trailer here.

If you're interested in getting involved in next year's event please contact us. While industry and academia focuses on the cure, PS Charities focuses on providing unmet financial needs for people battling cancer. Every dollar we raise we give to the community - all of it.

Remember, we support America's military and separately, people battling cancer. 100% of the money PSC receives is given to beneficiaries - we keep nothing. Not for marketing, salaries, private jets or caviar. We prefer pate. Kidding! Your money goes to THIER needs - not ours.

Our CFC Code number is 28000. Sign up here to get started at Employee Express. This video will walk you through the short process to start your CFC giving to PS Charities.

L to R: Michael Dean, Michael Chandler, Michelle Ellia, Autumn Brown, Beth Moss

The purpose of the event is to raise money for the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, an NPO that provides financial support for injured and critically ill members of the United States Armed Forces and their families. From sponsorships and registration fees the event raised $87,000. That's up from approximately $11K last year!

Five men from Team Semper Fi participated in the race. All inured in Iraq or Afghanistan, one young man in particular, Justin Gaertner, was impressive. He was wounded in combat on Thanksgiving day last year. He lost both legs. Less than a year after the experience he walked the entire course with prosthetic legs. A walking inspiration, literally.

One Thousand people came to celebrate the courage and dedication of Col. John Ripley for his years of service, particularly in Vietnam. We celebrate not by "giving back" but by participating. Getting involved. For the rest of us that's how we serve our country and respect the men and woman of the Armed Forces. Service comes in many forms. So do heroes.

We have more events upcoming. If you would like to join the PS Charities running team please let us know!

Join us for our next 5K on Nov. 6th - Sign up here!

The tournament proved to be a huge success all thanks to the support and contributions from a considerable number of advocates, corporate sponsors, friends, and families. Knowing that PS Charities and all of our supporters have made a difference in the lives of those who truly are deserving of the foundation is the greatest reward of all. In addition, however, UNC Cancer Care Center published a beautiful article about our event as well as including words from patients who have benefited from the success of the tournament.

Again, PS Charities cannot express the gratitude for all those who participated and helped at the event to make our 3^rd Annual NC Charity Golf Tournament possible. With out the constant love and support we have received from all our contributors, we would not be able to provide this amazing help to others. 

Last month's issue of The Washingtonian also featured Dr. Teal. The article not only covered her amazing journey of the double mastectomy but also tapped into her life as a mother, a surgeon, and an extremely influential advocate for breast cancer awareness. Teal’s intimate details of her endeavor were highlighted; from the start of her career as a medical student all the way to the turning point in the crucial decision to follow through with the double mastectomy.

Dr. Teal has been the surgeon and the patient, the supporter and the supported, but most importantly she has been a philanthropist. In collaboration with the GW Breast Care Center, Teal supports PS Charities at our Silent Auction and Casino Night to raise money for the women and the families affected by breast cancer. Teal’s outreach for breast cancer awareness has been monumental in not only the D.C. community but also growing nation wide. It is our hope that with Teal’s well deserved recognition, and PS Charities alliance with the GW Breast Care Center, we too can grow to become a nation wide effort in supporting those affected by breast cancer. 

As the son of a retired Marine Veteran this day has always been extremely important to me and my family so I apologize for the late post. I spent most of this day thinking about a certain individual, a ProSol Associates employee who was hit by a rocket attack in Afghanistan on the Morning of Memorial Day. As I relayed information to his family I couldn’t help to only focus on his condition, his family’s situation and the rest of this team that is currently deployed or set to deploy sometime this year. My thoughts are with everyone who elects to support the deployable positions. The PSA employee has been evacuated and is in stable condition. I will leave out the details as it is not my story to share except to share that he will be back with his wife by this weekend.

Every event that occurs in life changes you whether drastically or only slightly. This event has certainly opened my eyes wider and makes me even more proud that I am part of this country and a supporter of causes like PS Charities. A Memorial Day will never go by that I don’t take time to remember our fallen heroes from the past and present. My hat goes off to all of you.

If you have time please watch this music video. Its certainly makes you think about what Memorial Day is all about.

The power and ease of giving to PS Charities just got easier. If you are a federal employee you can learn more here about how to contribute through payroll deduction using the CFC. PS Charities is 1 of only 4,000 approved charities able to accept donations through federal payroll deductions. Donations are available bi-weekly or monthly.

We support America's military, and separately, patients battling cancer. Every single dollar we receive goes to them - not marketing, salaries, private jets, champaigne or caviar. We prefer pate. Kidding! We focus 100% of our donations on individual needs - not our own.

Sign up here and make a difference. It's CFC Open Season! Here's how it works with Paperless Payroll.

Terrorism took the international stage. Things changed.

But what hasn't changed is the commitment to America from the men and women fighting for freedom. Our military heros rise every day with their life in tow remembering JFK, and ask "How can I serve my country?". That's exceptional.

Today's news of Osama Bin Laden's death is, unfortunately, not the end of the road in the pursuit of liberty from terror. Securing peace is not without a fight. So today let's not celebrate a man's death. Let us celebrate the lives of those who serve America -- serve you and me -- in protecting our way of life.

Things will change, but the men and women of America's military always have been, and always will be, exceptional.

Or even better - send us an email to volunteer! Doing good is a lot of fun.

A big thanks to everyone that came out. We had a lot of fun, AND raised nearly $5,000. Not bad for a night out!