On Sunday August 14, Wings for Val (W4V) mentors and Travis Manion Foundation (TMF) ambassadors spent an amazing day with the UMBC Women’s Volleyball and Soccer teams at Genesse Valley Outdoor Learning Center in North Baltimore.

TMF’s Character Does Matter program engages veterans and survivors of the fall to inspire young adults to live with character, to develop their leadership skills and to serve their communities in honor of our nation’s fallen heroes with an “If not me, then who?” mentality. Pat Cappelaere (Val’s dad and Chairman of W4V) has been trained as  an ambassador for this program and and uses it as a vehicle to tell Val’s story to inspire future generations of female leaders.

We had the opportunity to partner with TMF for this amazing team-building day tailored specifically for the UBMC Women’s volleyball and soccer team. Several of our female mentors, including Navy Women’s Lacrosse alumni who are now accomplished Navy and Marine Corps officers, served as volunteers for the day’s events.

After morning discussions about character, leadership, and inspirational story of our fallen heroes, the teams went out and with the guidance of TMF and W4V advisors, completed a series of physical and psychological obstacles. Throughout the day’s challenges, they learned to “Adapt and Overcome” their fears on the high elements and are now ready to live the mantra of “If not me, then who”.

It was a privilege to support TMF in this progam and in the development of the female athletes of the UMBC’s volleyball and soccer teams. Thank you to our mentors that came to support the event – Andrea Phipps, Caitlin Hill, Dominique Wright, Mia Hencinski, and Cami Hines. Good luck to the UMBC athletes as they start their seasons – we hope to make it to a game to cheer you on! And we hope to see you all at our event on Sept 10 and that you will join team Wings for Val in the TMF 9/11 Heroes run! wingsforvalfoundation2.eventbrite.com