As many of you know, the Northern Virginia Photographers Society has participated over the last three years in a program of providing photographs to decorate the walls of the Willing Warrior Retreat at Bull Run in Haymarket, Virginia. For the new members, this facility provides a place for our veterans, many of whom are recovering from injuries, and their extended families to enjoy a five-day weekend to help to revitalize their minds, spirit, and soul.
Over the course of this time, our members contributed over 120 photos that pretty much filled the walls of the two original houses. I’m pleased to inform all of you that another facility is being constructed that will provide new opportunities for us to contribute images. The Grand Lodge is a six-bedroom home that will also feature a large meeting room to facilitate lectures and events. Currently the building framing is complete, and the exterior enclosure installation is in process. It is expected that the building will be ready for occupancy by the end of December 2023. Visit the Willing Warriors Gallery if you wish to see rooms in all retreat houses with NVPS hanging photos.
The staff of the Willing Warriors are excited with our offer to continue providing photographs. They ask that the images portray calm, peaceful subjects to provide a sense of serenity. The staff is sensitive to the potential impact of images to veterans with PTSD. Landscapes, waterscapes, foliage, flowers, wildlife, etc. seem to be appropriate.
Donated photographs should be matted and framed to be no smaller than 11×14 dimensions. 16×20 and 18×24 framed sizes are very desirable. There are walls that could benefit from more significantly sized images. So, if a photographer wishes, larger images such as canvas wraps or metal prints would be appreciated.
As was done with the previous program, the Willing Warriors staff would like to review each image to confirm that it would be appropriate and determine a location for installation prior to it being contributed. So if you are interested I participating, please send me NVPS formatted jpegs (127ppi, no larger than 1400 pixels wide by 1040 pixels high on the long side) of images that you would like to contribute. Please send them to me at the project email account:
Please send them to me at the “Willing Warriors Project” email account which can be found on the Board Contacts page (password required) under Special Projects.
If you have any questions, please contact me.Thank you in advance for your participation in this program. The veterans will certainly appreciate it.
Jim Sinsheimer