Send Me Outdoors

09/20/2026

A big thank-you to Overland South for choosing Send Me Outdoors as the nonprofit beneficiary of its Fall 2026 event raffle!

October 8–11 at Black Pearl Farms in Branchville, South Carolina, the Overland South community will come together for a weekend of camping, adventure, and good company.

This is more than an off-road event. It’s a chance to spend time outside, meet people, learn something new, and enjoy the camping community, whether you arrive in a fully outfitted rig or with a tent and a camp chair.

The weekend has plenty to offer: wooded overlanding trails and night rides, kayaking and fishing on the Edisto River, outdoor demonstrations, community camp suppers, and a Saturday outdoor movie.

All raffle proceeds will benefit SMO, supporting opportunities for veterans, service members, first responders, and their families to connect through Adventure, Service, and Wellness.

Mandi, Jeff, and the entire Overland South crew, thank you for welcoming SMO and giving your community a way to support ours. We’re grateful to the vendors, donors, and volunteers helping make it happen.

Interested in joining us? SMO has a limited number of camping and Saturday day passes available. Message us or email [email protected] soon for details and availability.

Event details: https://www.overlandsouth.com/
Follow Overland South: https://www.facebook.com/OverlandSouth

Campfires solve problems.

09/11/2026

Twenty-five years ago today, September 11 took thousands of lives and changed the course of countless others. We remember those killed, those who rushed to help, and the generation of warfighters called to serve in the Global War on Terror.

Early this morning, we stood together around a campfire in remembrance during our fall encampment at Marc Adams School of Woodworking. A group of over twenty veterans, active duty service members, first responders… many of us have completed entire military careers in the years between that September morning and this one.

The people lost that day should have had these twenty-five years.

We honor them by using ours well, caring for one another, answering the call, and showing up when we are needed.

08/17/2026

For those in our community that have been so fortunate to experience the work that Common Ground 501(3)c does, you won't want to miss this session coming up serving military, veterans and first responders.

Thank you to Common Ground for the great work they continue to do!

🇺🇸🐴 ANNOUNCING OUR FALL 2026 OPERATION HORSEPOWER PROGRAM!

See what our latest group had to say about this experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_jLlugxm20&t=10s

Common Ground is now accepting participants for our next six-week Operation HorsePower program, created for military members, veterans, and first responders.
Through trauma-informed, hands-on experiences with our horses, participants will have the opportunity to:
❤️ Heal through equine-assisted trauma recovery
🌱 Build confidence, resilience, and trust
🤝 Connect within a supportive small-group environment
⭐ Develop skills that promote post-traumatic growth and long-term resilience
📅 Six consecutive Wednesdays
October 14–November 18, 2026
⏰ 6:00–8:00 PM
📍 Common Ground Inc.
6250 Detrick Road
Mount Airy, MD 21771
Space is limited. To learn more or register, contact Elizabeth:
📞 301-639-5052
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.commongroundps.org
Please share this announcement so we can reach the military members, veterans, and first responders in our community who may benefit from this life-changing experience.

04/22/2026

John Snow - a man of many names and talents, a humble servant leader, and a champion of causes.

Before we met John, he had already lived more life than most people ever achieve. After a stint in the Navy, he spent a career as a Doc to our country’s elite forces (these stories are better to hear from him than to post here). After retirement from federal service, he went on to become a Deputy Sheriff, a cigar aficionado, and a Master Woodworker.

We met John when he volunteered to assist in our first charity class at Marc Adams School of Woodworking. He immediately fit in with our group and volunteered to help where he could. We hear this on occasion, but John really meant it and began stepping up in a big way.

For the last three years John has served as SMO’s ambassador to MASW, where he has excelled in building our relationship not just with the school, but with the student body as well. His efforts have been one of the most impactful to our community, allowing for dozens of students to begin and continue their woodworking journey, while raising funds that also support our other programs.

It’s time to give John a new title. While at Tough Ruck this last weekend, John graciously accepted our invitation to join the Board of Directors. His motivation, tenacity, consideration, and empathy will continue to help our community in the coming years, and we are deeply honored to have him as a leader on our team.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we present John SMO.

04/03/2026

Happy Friday, SMO community!

As we move into spring, our volunteers and supporters have a busy season ahead. A few things on the agenda:

Our ninth Boston Marathon Tough Ruck is just two weeks out. We will be honoring our fallen while rucking 26.2 miles carrying their names. The team is crushing prep and training, and we are looking forward to one of our best showings yet.

Some of our members are currently at Marc Adams School of Woodworking (MASW), helping others, learning new skills, and advocating for SMO. They are doing great work there, and we cannot wait to attend the MASW/SMO charity event in September. Let us know if you would like to be considered for a slot.

2026 Service Project: We are in the planning phases of our primary project, with the goal of providing needed home restoration to a deserving veteran, LEO, or first responder family. We will need significant support, so if you want to get involved at the ground level, this is a great opportunity.

Fishing outings: These are flexible but always a hit. Let us know if you want to join one or help support.

Golf outing: We know many of you are waiting to sign up, and we are committed to giving you a great experience while supporting the organization. Due to rising costs, we are exploring course options and will have details shortly. We have a tentative date of October 8 and will share more as soon as everything is finalized.

If you have questions, ideas, or want to get involved, please reach out. We are always looking for committed supporters and leaders to help us serve our community. And to those putting in the work, we appreciate you.

With my respect and appreciation,
Ben W.
Executive Director