I have done a number of HPDE schools at VIR and a number of the Charity Laps. This event was the best organized and efficient of all the Charity Laps I have run. If my score was based on this alone, it would have been 5 stars. However, I and all other other drivers behind me were held up by a VERY slow driver in a V-8 powered Trans Am. In the safety briefing, drivers were told if you know you will be slower paced please pull aside in the false grid and let others on track before you. Drivers were also told that if they were spotted slowing the group, they would be black flagged and brought in to let the faster drivers untangle the train behind them. In spite of my pointing to numerous corner workers about the slow car, none of them flagged the slow car. This issue needs to be addressed, or a worthy cause and fun event will be damaged by diminished participation.
Incredibly organized and very well supported organization, I will be attending as many events as I can!
Well planned and well run event for a great cause supporting our veterans. Attend every year with my son and this your included my grandson.
Hopefully it shows my grandson to learn to support a great cause.
I been involved with many events with racing for heroes It is amazing how many veterans That volunteer to help their fellow veterans And the leaders of racing for heroes make sure everybody has the opportunity to help one another If the bonds that are formed are amazing racing for heroes is one team A very special people
Great organization with a great group of folks! Attended their charity laps event last year after hearing about the organization from a good friend. Had a great time that supported a great cause! Mike and his team are top notch individuals and operate as such on a daily basis.
Racing for Heroes is a great organization that helped me and countless others find a purpose and realize their full potential through their programs and camaraderie
Mike Evock and his staff were friends before I got to know their non-profit work. These are genuine heroes themselves who work tirelessly and without remuneration to help their brothers and sisters in arms. As I have come to learn, RFH is so much more than involving vets in racing-related activities as the name implies. They target prevention of veteran suicide through a multi-pronged approach that includes motorsports therapy. But they also provide special medical treatments that are otherwise not covered and they assist with employment of veterans. All of these elements contribute to the mental and physical health of the veterans, to achieve the overall goal of suicide prevention. Their dedication and hard work, in addition to their noble purpose and effectiveness, is what drives me to volunteer a comparatively small amount of my time and money throughout each year to support them.
This is an amazing organization that actually does something for Veteran's. I wanted to get into car racing, but didn’t know where or how to start. They gave me (a 100% disabled combat veteran) a racecar along with resources and information needed to get started in the sport. Car racing has helped me deal with my PTSD associated depression. Thank you for everything you do!
As a combat vet who have found high performance driver education (HPDE) as a form of therapy and an outlet for my stress; Racing for Heroes has directly impacted me by sponsoring an event for me at Virginia International Raceway.
I am so excited to attend; this organization has an absolute impact on veterans by providing them an outlet in exciting events and in forming comradery amonths other veterans.
This is a great group! My wife did the Jane Bond course a few years back and loved it. Please support these guys.
RFH is a genuinely caring group of individuals who are not just running the .Org, they use the services as Veterans going through the physical and mental issues associated with their service to our country-they truly ‘Get it” and are doing something to help their brothers and sisters.
As an advocate and a wife of a disabled veteran, I have been involved with the under-served population of warriors since 2003. I started volunteering in advisory capacity in 2014 when the organization was in it's infancy. I had a front row seat to the resiliency, tenacity, and most importantly - the efficacy of the program and the difference it was making in the veterans it served. The team was not only improving the quality of the lives of veterans with PTSD and TBI, they were saving lives. My husband and I are honored and privileged to work with Racing for Heroes and support them in any way we can.
On a personal note, I have volunteered for many organizations over the years. This is the one one that served me right back. The men and women I have built relationships with over the last five years are some of the strongest I have in my life. They give back ten-fold what it given to them. The high level of responsibility, accountability, and desire to serve their brothers and sisters is rare and admirable.
Let me begin by saying that I have been afforded the opportunity to serve on many boards over the years and work with both for profit and non-profit organizations. Racing for Heroes is by far the BEST non-profit organization that I have ever been involved with. For starters, 100% of all donations go directly to support their mission of helping veterans. I cannot think of any other non-profit that does this. As a disabled veteran (USMC) myself, this is something near and dear to my heart. In addition, I have seen some of the veterans who were positively impacted by Racing for Heroes. It's heartwarming to know there are still good people out there who truly care about their brothers and sisters. Hats off to Mike Evock and his team for running such a great organization. I am proud to know them and help support their mission.
Racing For Heroes core is the enduring treatment of veterans, both physically and mentally. It has been proven, many times, that a phone call to say hello to a brother or sister can save their lives. RFH uses the “team” commitment to helping everyone we hear about, through physical and mental wellness. Please take time to contact us if you or a veteran that you may think needs help, anytime.
I am involved in a lot of nonprofits and I will say Racing For Heroes is the best of the best. Mike is one of the best men I ever met. He takes troops eat first to a whole new level. Everyone I have met threw out the years threw RFH have been amazing men and women. They have truly changed many lives for the positive.
I know RFH has helped me personally with stem cell treatment for my service connected MS. It is a bunch of veterans helping their brothers and sister out when they are in need. Sometimes it is just to get your military fix. This is one of the few nonprofits that 100% of your donations going directly to the cause. I always look forward to my trips to VIR
The biggest thing that set Racing For Heroes apart from the other Non-profits I have been involved with comes down to the leadership and people that are part of the organization.
I have known Mike for many years and Mike has always taken care of his soldiers. Mike continues doing just that through RFH. That style of leadership translates through the entire family of volunteers.
I am always humbled and proud of the friends/family I continue to meet through this family of Veterans helping Veterans. I will continue to support the RFH team and recommend that others do as well.
I am grateful for the men and women of Racing For Heroes and their gift of providing a family for our service men and women who are seeking purpose after protecting the rest of us for many years.
As a family we believe that the least we can do is help the men and women who fought to protect our way of life, live the American Dream themselves. Racing For Heroes is a family that provides health care or work training opportunities in a way that makes sense to veteran service members. We are donating personally to the awareness campaign that helps those who need Racing For Heroes in their lives, to find them.
We are proud to have two sons currently serving in the army. And now count the Racing For Heroes members as extended family as well. It is our great honor to serve them as they unselfishly served all of us. And pledge our support as they build their network that saves lives.
Over the last couple of years I have been volunteering and working with RacingForHeroes. This organization has given me a sense purpose and brought me into an environment that has always been helpful. The people I have met through my journey with RFH have become my family. This organization and the network it has created is living proof that no matter how down and out you are, someone is always there for you. From public events, races, and open houses to gym sessions, therapy, or long nights wrenching on race cars, there is no better organization that actively supports our nations heroes and their families.
I am a Marine Corps combat veteran. Becoming involved with Racing For Heroes has been a game changer in my life. I have had improvements mentally, physically, and thanks to the veteran employment, financially as well.
Mike has started something very special for veterans and our families. The RFH organization and family helps restore the brother/sisterhood that so many veterans are missing when we transition to civilian life.
The things I love most about RFH are the environment and how the interaction never stops. It’s not a “one and done“ organization. It doesn’t matter if you are involved with the veteran wellness, veteran employment, or therapy through racing, you are always welcome. Someone is always available either at the shop or are just a phone call away.
I have been with RFH for several years now. One thing I am personally proud of is the motivation I received to further my education. Thanks to Mike, RFH, and my wife I decided to get my Masters in Mental Health Crisis and Trauma. Earning this degree has allowed me to help other veterans dealing with symptoms of post traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.
Racing For Heroes is a family.
When I found out about Racing For Heroes I was missing something in my life, I had a huge void that I couldn't fill. After becoming a part of the RFH family that void was filled with comrade, purpose and most of all passion. I had sparked that joy I used to have being involved and motorsports. Not only do I find joy in being involved with RFH and their outreach to the veteran Community, I now find even more satisfaction being a part of the team that provides that joy for others. RFHs outreach and efforts have touched and changed so many of our nations Veterans that are struggling with PTSD or other service related problems and have initiated those individuals to turn their lives completely around and start giving back to the Veterans.
RFH is so much more than a Veterans outreach Organization that gives joy to other Veterans, they are givers that are multiplying through their efforts.
I've worked with Racing For Heroes for a number of years, but within the last year I’ve been able to see the impact they have not just on Veterans but the whole community. Every time I visit, I hear of another life they have impacted or saved. The activities that RFH hosts creates a safe space for anyone and everyone to explore new activities (racing, off-roading, ATV’s, shooting, etc.) while giving Veterans the adrenaline rush that they miss so much. They are truly an inspiration and making a difference.
As a veteran I have seen a lot of peers struggle with mental illness due to PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Moreover, I can speak from experience as someone who struggled with depression from the rigors of military service that extend past the point of when you get out of the army. Racing for Heroes definitely helped me escape from the negative thoughts and connotations associated with depression by making me feel like a member of a team and being part of a team by doing something bigger than myself. Being part of this team/family has also helped me set goals new goals to become a driver on their race team, which is easier said than done, with how much talent is there. Since goal setting and achieving goals is so important in life, this cannot be understated.
Since meeting the team at RFH their passion and determination in making a difference in the lives of other veterans is evident and contagious to say the least. That being said, since I have personally benefited from RFH I feel as if I owe it to them and my fellow veterans by volunteering and donating for their cause every chance I get to ensure others can receive the help and assistance they deserve.
I love this organization and everything they stand for. Every mission they take on and everything they have accomplished and have done has had instant impacts on the lives of every veteran and their families, which is something most Non-Profits cannot always do.
Racing for heroes is saving lives one day at a time. It is a very large task to take on but it is like eating an elephant. It can be done one bite at a time.
In 2014 my wife and I were honored by the racing for heroes. I was wounded in Vietnam in 1969 during operation Wayne Grey in the fourth infantry division. It was a great experience with the group as they drove us around track and made me feel that my service in Vietnam was appreciated... Thank you
My family and I got to meet Racing For Heroes team last month. We were inspired by their personal stories of hope and recovery. We gained a better understanding of traumatic brain injury and the impact of Polychromatic Light Therapy. Our adrenaline was also racing throughout the day thanks to motorsports therapy. Many lives and families will be saved through the kindness of this nonprofit organization. They have a unique ability to reach our nations Heroes.
I'm a 15 year veteran of the Army's MP Corp. In 2004 my team was hit by an IED. I sustained a TBI and lost a brother that day. Since then I have pretty much just kept to myself. The RFH guys have been trying to get me out there for a while now and I finally broke down and decided to go. For the first time since my injury I felt apart of the brotherhood again. Thank you fellas you've open the door for me to start living a better life. The awareness they are bringing to TBI injuries,PTSD and dependence on pharmaceutical drugs is beneficial not only to veterans but their loved ones as well. Thank you again and I look forward to coming back out there not only for me but to possibly help other brothers and sisters see that they can over come any obstacle they are faced with and they are not alone.
I served for operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and was later medically retired due to injuries sustianed during those operations. I found myself lost reintegrating with the workforce. I met the Racing For Heroes members about a year ago. They gave me a sense of importance and usefuleness of my skills. I sold my home and moved closer to RFH headquarters in order to be closer to my new family. I volunteer much of my time and participate in their veteran employment opportunities and holistic healing methods. Most of all I appreciate the level of care and concern they have for me and in return I pass this on to other service members in the organization. If you can help us help others, please do. Every little bit helps. If you need help we are here for you.
I was invited to an event at VIR with these guys and absolutely loved every minute of it. They use the high adrenaline atmosphere to re-create the bond you share with your brothers and sisters in arms.
All in all it was an amazing weekend. I got to really push my limits on the track, get that adrenaline rush I always crave, form lifelong bonds with new friends, meet celebrity chef Robert Irvine, and have an overall great time.
I will absolutely support this organization in any way possible.
Caring about someone who suffers from PTSD and a traumatic brain injury isn’t easy when you can’t relate to what they have been through. Racing For Heroes foundation is built by people who understand that struggle. I was lucky enough to attend a recent RFH event and was so touched to see the amount of support and encouragement these guys give to each other. It’s not just about racing cars, it’s about a group of people who look out for each other, care about each other and has found a way to do that through racing.
As a non profit organization with goals of helping veterans with ptsd this organization is top notch. When we leave the fast paced adrenaline packed life of the military many veterans struggle with what seems to be boring day to day life in the civilian world. Mike and his great team at Racing for Heroes is taking Veterans and is putting that energy or adrenaline back into their lives in a safe environment through driving. I participated in such event and am looking forward to many others like this. His teams vision and mission should most certainly be recognized.
RacingForHeroes 03/20/2018
Thanks Chief, always good to have you involved. Looking forward to the next time.
RacingForHeroes 03/20/2018
Thank you Heidi. It is because of great people and team members like yourself, that we are able and driven to continue to do what we do for our community.