Florian Villa: Home to 7 Veterans
Posted by mjr3715 on February 1, 2009
Deborah Bernstein and Scott Wahlen are up to good once again and are feverishly making the preparations to receive 7 veterans at their villa on the island of St. John. Read more about their efforts in the press release below and in the St. John Tradewinds.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Scott Wahlen, Deborah Bernstein
Florian Villa on Gift Hill
Saint John, United States Virgin Islands
(617) 429-6182
info@florianvilla.com
http://www.florianvilla.com
Walter Reed’s SUDS Program to Make First Visit to St. John Island, USVI
Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba (SUDS) will hold its first open dive class in the waters surrounding St. John Island and participants will stay at the famed Florian Villa.
February 1, 2009 (Washington, DC) – Six injured veterans from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) will call the Florian Villa home while they participate in the SUDS program’s March open dive events held in the pristine waters surrounding St. John Island, USVI.
Since February 2007, the SUDS program has provided a unique physical and occupational therapy option for severely wounded soldiers from OIF and OEF. Soldiers participating in the SUDS program attend classes on land at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) and complete their SCUBA certification activities during open water dives usually held in waters off the coasts of Florida, Puerto Rica or Cuba. This March, the waters surrounding the US Virgin Islands will be the site for soldiers’ open dives for the first time.
“Scott and I take every opportunity to do something for injured veterans and we maintain a close relationship with several different departments at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center,” stated Deborah Bernstein, co-owner of the Florian Villa. “We are thrilled that our location has been chosen for the first SUDS open dive visit to St. John Island,” added Bernstein. Scott Wahlen, a captain with the Boston Fire Department and former U.S. Marine, and Deborah Bernstein, a yoga instructor, founded the Florian Villa in 2007.
Scott Wahlen and Deborah Bernstein routinely invite returning injured veterans to their secluded retreat located on Gift Hill on St. John Island. Their largess recently won the couple one of the prestigious Heroes Among Us awards from the Boston Celtics. Additional information about the Florian Villa can be found at http://www.florianvilla.com.
Since February 2007, over 100 soldiers have received SCUBA training at WRAMC through the SUDS program, which is a 501 (c)(3) organization and a member of the Wounded Warrior and Disabled Sports Projects. Additional information about the SUDS program can be found http://www.sudsdiving.org.
Interested in helping Scott and Deborah host more solidiers, visit their website and make an on-line donation.
