OUR HISTORY

Patricia Clason, fondly known as the Sergeant Major's Daughter, is the founder of Healing Warrior Hearts. She began her journey of healing the hearts of veterans in 1993, when she and Christian Kramer co-founded Bamboo Bridge, a weekend healing program for Vietnam Veterans. Together they, along with teams of volunteers, traveled across the country offering the program and raising funds to ensure all veterans had the ability to attend the program at no cost. Due to commitments to their families and full-time jobs, they trained other instructors who carried on the work while Patricia and Christian took a sabbatical.  

 

In 2005, Bamboo Bridge expanded to include veterans of all eras, combat and peacetime veterans, and underwent a name change to Vets Journey Home. Patricia continued the work with Vets Journey Home until 2012. During that time, the program expanded beyond centers in Maryland and Wisconsin to include Texas and California.

 

In early 2013, Patricia was inspired to expand her passion into the creation of the Healing Warrior Hearts program. This program utilizes art, music, and other creative activities, in a supportive, confidential environment, to help deeply engage veterans in their emotional healing. Christian Kramer returned to join Patricia, and Don DeCamp (Vietnam Veteran), to facilitate the new retreat. Christian is now retired and Don DeCamp is deceased. Today, Jon Christensen (Vietnam Veteran, U.S. Army) and Chris Mallory (Veteran, U.S. Air Force Retired) co-instruct with Patricia. There are also current Healing Warrior Hearts volunteers, both civilian and veterans, in training for instructor positions.  

 

Through gracious donations from local businesses and non-profit organizations such as The Starfish Foundation (Wisconsin) and Texas for Heroes, the work continues to be free for all attending veterans.

 

Healing Warrior Hearts is open to all veterans and service members who wish to find healing and hope for the future.