September 3, 2012 – Fox 31
Army veteran and West Point grad raising money, awareness for fellow soldiers
Denver Post – August 9, 2012
The Veterans Passport to Hope benefit for the Wounded Warrior Project, Oct. 4 at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, a 40,000-square foot space that once was Hangar 1 on the former Lowry Air Force Base. This event is coordinated by former Black Hawk helicopter pilot Shane Schmutz and features themed buffets, entertainment and an address by Purple Heart recipient Neil Duncan. Tickets: veteranspassport2hope.org.
For Josh Kuehl, his military career is what brought him to Denver and is what helped him succeed at Daniels. The West Point grad credits the military’s learning culture for his success at Daniels, both inside and outside the classroom. “In the Army, you’re always being trained for a promotion so you’re constantly learning something new. It’s also a pass/fail environment so you can’t just sit back and hope to skate by. You have to be an active participant in the learning process,” he said. He pushed himself to complete both his MBA and master of finance degrees in two years. Outside the classroom, Kuehl served as the vice president of projects for the Daniels Consulting Firm, a student-run consulting organization. In this capacity, he managed multiple project teams and coordinated projects for clients.
Kuehl hopes to one day lead a startup or small company, but his energies are currently focused on raising awareness for veterans. Helping veterans comes naturally to him since soldiers always take care of their own. Because soldiers are trained to not show pain, it can be difficult for veterans to talk openly about their problems, and that’s where Kuehl comes in. A disabled veteran himself, he wants to make sure veterans have the resources and opportunities they need to recover and lead productive lives. “Veterans can have a difficult time asking for help, so I can give them a voice and show that it’s OK to ask for help,” he said. “It can be hard for veterans to open up to a civilian about their experiences, so it’s often easier for a veteran to talk to another veteran since you know firsthand what they’ve been through.”
Kuehl is currently working with the Veteran’s Passport to Hope, a nonprofit organization founded in 2011. The all-volunteer organization’s mission is to raise awareness of the issues veterans face. The group also collaborates with other veteran-friendly nonprofits to raise funds and to find ways to more effectively assist veterans. The group’s inaugural event is on Thursday, October 4 at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum and will feature live music, food representing wars from around the world (Vietnam, Iraq, WWII) and live and silent auctions. The event also features keynote speaker and current Daniels undergrad Sgt. Neil Duncan (Ret.), who served two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan where, in 2005, he lost both legs in an attack. Net proceeds from the event will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project in Colorado. To purchase tickets or to learn more about Veteran’s Passport to Hope visit veteranspassport2hope.org.
Gala to benefit Wounded Warriors
VETERAN’S PASSPORT TO HOPE ANNOUNCED AS THE DENVER OUTLAWS
JULY 14 “HEROES NIGHT” CHARITY
Percentage of Proceeds from the Game to Benefit Colorado Wounded Warriors
DENVER, June 25, 2012 – Today, Veteran’s Passport to Hope (VP2H) was announced as the feature charity for the July 14 Denver Outlaws Lacrosse “Heroes Night” game against the Charlotte Hounds. A portion of all ticket sales will benefit Veteran’s Passport to Hope, a special Denver-based fundraising event to raise awareness for the challenges today’s veterans face and to support the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).
During the game, which will begin at 5:00 p.m. at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, the Outlaws players will be wearing black, grey and orange “camouflage” jerseys to honor veterans. Later, the players will sign their jerseys, which will then be auctioned on eBay. All proceeds will go to Veteran’s Passport to Hope.
“We are proud to share this game and “Heroes Night” with Veteran’s Passport to Hope,” said Ted Tseng, Director of Sales and Marketing for the Denver Outlaws. “Several of our players are veterans, so it means a lot to our organization to partner with an organization dedicated to recognizing the men and women who give their lives to keep us safe and free.”
The Veteran’s Passport to Hope event is slated for October 4, 2012 and will celebrate the contributions of service men and women from every branch of the Armed Services. The event will be held at the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, and will feature entertainment, great food, a silent auction, and inspirational comments from Wounded Warriors. All proceeds from the event, after expenses are paid, will benefit the WWP, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors. The WWP offers a wide range of programs and events in the Colorado region designed to meet the ongoing needs of injured service members.
“Now returning home after multiple tours of duty, many of today’s veterans face significant challenges ranging from adjusting to civilian life and unemployment to post traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and physical disabilities,” said Shane Schmutz, lead organizer of Veteran’s Passport to Hope. “The Denver community has enthusiastically embraced our event and we expect at least 1,000 guests in October.”
Tickets are now on sale for the July 14 Outlaws game and can be purchased today at www.denveroutlaws.com/vp2h. For more information on the October Veteran’s Passport to Hope event, visit www.veteranspassport2hope.org.
About Veteran’s Passport to Hope
Veteran’s Passport to Hope is a charity event founded with the intent to raise awareness and funding in Colorado to benefit veterans. The event is slated to take place on October 4, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. Veteran’s Passport to Hope is a proud supporter of Wounded Warrior Project, an organization which exists to honor and empower Wounded Warriors who incurred service-connected injuries on or after September 11, 2001. For more information, visit us online at www.veteranspassport2hope.org.
