A Wounded Warrior retreat, Boulder Crest, has received a sizable donation of wood-alternative decking and railing materials from Trex company in Winchester.

Boulder Crest Retreat is 60 miles northwest of Washington D.C. in Bluemont nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The retreat, once completed, will offer nature walks, gardening, foraging, photography, bird and wildlife watching, archery and other outdoor activities. There will also be off-site activities such as tubing and kayaking on the Shenandoah River or hiking the Appalachian Trail.

The new retreat, the brainchild of Ken and Julia Faulkes, will offer a local rural getaway for wounded veterans from some Army medical centers in the area.

“I consider in-kind contributions as important as cash contributions,” Ken Falke said in a release.

“With the generous donation of high-performance Trex decking and railing products for the outdoor living spaces of the four cabins, not only do we advance another step towards final completion but we reduce our long-term maintenance costs on these buildings. Using the best decking materials in the world from Trex eliminates future upkeep and repairs typically associated with traditional wood,” he explained.

Settled in the western hills of Loudoun, Boulder Crest offers a secluded area for wounded warriors and their families with wide-open spaces for them to get out of the hospital environment.

The event featured Dana Bowman, a former Special Forces soldier and member of the U.S. Army’s elite parachute team – The Golden Knights – who parachuted from a plane. Bowman, who in 1994 lost both legs in a mid-air collision, landed at the site of the Boulder Crest Retreat with two prosthetic legs after a three to four minute descent fully equipped with smoke and an American flag trailing behind him.

“It is an honor for Trex and our employees to be associated with such a high-profile project that benefits men and women who have served our country, especially one right here in our own backyard,” Ron Kaplan, chairman, president and CEO of Trex Company, Inc said in a release. “We are greatly impressed with the mission and leadership of Boulder Crest Retreat and are proud to be a part of this project.”

Boulder Crest Retreat for Wounded Warriors is a nonprofit organization with the goal to provide a free, “first-class haven” for wounded veterans and their families.