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The Cabin at fort novosel

THE WOUNDED WARRIOR RETREAT

This is a one-of-a-kind, fully ADA compliant cabin on Ft. Novosel's (formerly Ft. Rucker) beautiful Lake Tholocco. We are continuing fundraising efforts to create a unique destination for wounded warriors and their families. More amenities will continue to be added to the Retreat by the Lake, through generous support and donations.

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Cabin Ribbon Cutting September 19, 2018

tRANSITION

Soldiers from Ft. Benning's Warrior Transition Unit were welcomed to the Retreat by the Lake and neighboring cabins at Lake Tholocco for the 17th Annual Boll Weevil 100 event.

WATCH HERE

Cabin

The Wounded Warrior Retreat on beautiful Lake Tholocco

The Wounded Warrior Retreat on beautiful Lake Tholocco with all its activities, programs, cabins, and equipment are the property of Fort Novosel (formerly Fort Rucker) Directorate of Family Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR). The cabins at Lake Tholocco are self-funded by MWR. The cabins have no military budget. Funds are raised through various means to provide services to Soldiers, Retirees, and their families.

breaking ground

At the time the WWVC began the process to construct a fully accessible, ADA compliant cabin on East Beach, there was no knowledge of another such cabin existing on any other military installation in the U.S. It was the intention of WWVC to provide this needed accommodation for well-deserving warriors and their families.

The WWVC undertook the project of providing a modern fully handicap accessible cabin with a value not to exceed $225,000, at no cost to the government, to be constructed on East Beach at Lake Tholocco. This cabin would fulfill an unmet need to the wounded and ill soldiers, retirees and their families.

Ft. Novosel (formerly Ft. Rucker) demolished two cabins built in the early 1940s at the East Beach site which became the Wounded Warrior Retreat in September 2018.

More details of this project are located on our Wounded Warrior Retreat's History page.

Phase II: Wounded Warrior Retreat Floating Boat Dock

The WWVC continues fundraising efforts to make this Wounded Warrior Retreat more than just a cabin, but a vacation destination that allows occupants to enjoy indoor and outdoor rest and recreation to the fullest.

When the dock is completed, it and a pontoon boat will be available to the Cabin occupants for the duration of their stay.

The boat dock project at the Wounded Warrior Retreat by the Lake!

The boat dock project at the Wounded Warrior Retreat by the Lake on Ft. Novosel (formerly Ft. Rucker) is proceeding. The dock has been ordered and will be assembled on the site once all the preliminary work has been done. Plumbing and electrical work must be completed before the concrete pad and ramp can be installed. When all of this work is completed, the dock can be assembled and made operational.

Many thanks to MWR and all the groups and individuals involved in making this dock a reality for our veterans and their families!

More amenities are planned for this site, but we won't announce those yet! Your tax-deductible donations to the Wiregrass Wounded Veterans Committee or the Enterprise Lions Club Foundation are appreciated to continue to fund these ongoing projects.

Contributions

You may make a contribution at any CB&T Bank branch in the Wiregrass area for "The Wounded Warrior Retreat at Lake Tholocco" Attn: WWVC

Checks may be made payable to: Enterprise Lions Club Foundation

Attn: Wounded Warrior Retreat at Lake Tholocco

PO Box 310598 Enterprise, AL 36331

You can give at GoFundMe

Enterprise Lions Club Foundation is a 501(c)(3) TAX DEDUCTIBLE charitable organization

This is the Right project, at the Right time, for the Right reason!

YouTube Time Lapse Video of WWVC Cabin Construction

Retreat by the Lake: In the News

Soldiers from Ft. Benning's Warrior Transition Unit were welcomed to the Retreat by the Lake and neighboring cabins at Lake Tholocco for the 17th Annual Boll Weevil 100 event.

Watch Here

Wiregrass Chapter of Ausa

The Fort Rucker-Wiregrass Chapter of AUSA presented a $1,000 donation to the WWVC for the handicap accessible dock. Read full article in Southeast Sun here.

History of Wounded Warrior Retreat

NOTE: So far as we, The WWVC, can tell, there has not been a Handicap Cabin donated and built on a military post.

This first ever project was undertaken knowing that it would need to be thoroughly reviewed at every level to insure compliance with law and existing regulations. In addition, we thought the approval level would most likely be higher than the stated value of the gift might otherwise require. We were very pleased at the "Can DO" attitude, helpfulness, and timely response to our proffer and requests from all involved at every level.

1. Around the first of July 2015, Fort Rucker Directorate of Family Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) Director Tim Laster mentioned his proposed idea for a Handicap Cabin located at lot 8, East Beach, at Lake Tholocco, Ft Rucker, Alabama to Officers Charles Seitz and Conrad Stempel of The Wiregrass Wounded Veterans Committee (WWVC).

2. 10 July 2015. Conrad Stempel and Charles Seitz met with Director Tim Laster and proposed that the WWVC take on the project of building the Handicap Cabin. We all agreed to look further into this idea.

3. Around the second week of July 2015 Conrad Stempel and Charles Seitz, after consultation with the Executive Committee of the Enterprise Lions Club, and the 501(c)(3) Enterprise Lions Club Foundation, proposed that the Enterprise Lions Club Foundation and Wiregrass Wounded Veterans Committee (WWVC) investigate the possibility that WWVC offer to build the handicap cabin using The WWVC to take on the project of building the Handicap Cabin.

4. 24 Aug 2015. Conrad Stempel and Charles Seitz sent a proposed Proffer Letter from The WWVC to Director Tim Laster for the building of the Handicap Cabin.

This would be great for all of Enterprise and the Wiregrass if we are successful. Great for the Veterans who will benefit from this cabin, great for tourism, great for the economy, great for the city, and a real demonstration of the commitment the local community has for Ft. Rucker.

5. 1 Sep 2015. Conrad Stempel, Charles Seitz, Billy Cotter and others, met at Billy Cotter's business to discuss particulars in the construction of the Handicap Cabin. Charles gave Billy a copy of the proffer, and a draft list of tasks for WWVC and MWR to accomplish. Billy agreed to be the general contractor on the building project.

6. 22 Sep 2015. The revised Proffer Letter was sent to the Ft. Rucker Garrison Commander, Colonel Shannon T. Miller. (Click here for Proffer Letter)

7. 21 Oct 2015. A FOIA request was sent to the Garrison Commander requesting the plans for the current cabins at Lake Tholocco. (Click here for FOIA Letter)

8. 10 Dec 2015. The Garrison Commander sent The WWVC a Statement of Need letter. Indicating the cabin was in fact needed. (Click here for Statement of Need Letter)

9. 18 Dec 2015. The Directorate of Human Resources, Mr. Walter R. Kramer, granted our request to waive any and all fees and approved our FOIA request. (Click Here For FOIA Approved Letter)

10. 18 Dec 2015. WWVC received the plans for the current cabins.

11. 18 Dec 2015. Mr. Billy Cotter forwarded these plans to the architect Mr. G. Mark Pepe. Mr. Pepe returned the final plans to The WWVC on 5 Sep 2016.

12. Fund raising commenced, and as word spread funds were raised by veterans' groups, civic groups, churches, businesses, motorcycle groups, and individuals throughout the Wiregrass area. Funds were raised by concerts, vehicle test-drives, speaking engagements, and a GoFundMe account. This was an event the Wiregrass community came together to support.

13. 6 Apr 2017. Charles Seitz, Treasurer of The WWVC, sent a letter to Garrison Commander Colonel Miller stating that The WWVC has sufficient funds, material, and labor to insure completion of The Handicap Cabin. (Click here for Statement of Funding Letter )

14. 31 Aug 2017 The WWVC received a letter from Lieutenant General Kenneth R. Dahl, Commander of Installation Management Command formally accepting the WWVC gift of an ADA-compliant cabin for Wounded Warriors at Fort Rucker, Alabama. (Click here for Cabin Acceptance Letter )