2025 Operation Patriots FOB and Heal Our Heroes - Casino Night

HOH Founder Everette Weston and wife (on left),
OPFOB Founder Roy Brown and wife (middle),
OPFOB Officer Jimmy Banton and wife (on right).

When two groups that were founded solely to focus on Veterans Issues decided to link up, they were able to bring in the Big Guns from Charleston to support their black tie Casino Night on May 22 at the Historic Rice Mill event facility at the Safe Harbor Marina downtown. Operation Patriots FOB (OPFOB) is based out of Ridgeland was in town to help Operation Heal Our Heroes (HOH) present this lavish fundraiser with catering by none other the Chef Kevin D of TV fame. Dinner included vegetable spring rolls, wagyu tenderloin, peeled shrimp and beef sliders with a zinger sauce and it was all delicious. Live music began with acoustic guitar in the background, but after the sun set the band cranked up the volume and played a rockin' set of music. The casino night fundraiser was meant to be fun, but they also took time for serious remarks from both organizations.

Matthew Nichols at the Black Jack table

OPFOB CEO Roy Brown Jr. addressed the crowd to share that he had personally lost many veterans / friends to suicide after tours together in Afghanistan. "OPFOB started in 2019 and my wife Stephanie helped found our organization," said Brown. "We have the same mission as HOH and that's why its so great for us to partner like this. We also have a 'boots on the ground' mission in Ridgeland where veterans can come to our 200-acre facility and enjoy outdoor pursuits like sporting clays and multiple shooting ranges. I went to Boot Camp at Parris Island and am familiar with the network of veterans in that area. We estimate there are 120,000 veterans within a 90-minute drive radius in our area, with another 30K active duty military and 30K First Responders too. All of the services we offer to veterans are free, and we are hopeful that we can harness the awesome potential of donors and supporters that exists in Charleston." 

Chef Kev D with Sliders and 'Awesome sauce'

Operation Heal Our Heroes was founded by Everette Weston and Patrick Bolchoz and they shared that losing their beloved friend, Capt. 'Franky' Kim to suicide is what drove them to start HOH. They also introduced a guest speaker from the Air Force who told his first hand account of the final week of duty in Afghanistan flying C-17's based in Charleston out of the Bagram airport that received international news attention. Saying that those were the hardest days of his entire career in the AF and that many in his air wing were adversely affected by those events. The overall message is that both groups think suicide rates of veterans are still going up, and they are already at staggering levels, and this important issue does not need to be overlooked anymore.

To view past blog  entries abut Veterans groups click on Reel Steel Catfishing - Veterans Victory House Car Show - Wounded Nature / Boat Clean Up - Wounded Warrior Deer Hunt / ACE Basin - Wounded Warrior Duck Hunt / Santee Delta - SCI Pathfinder Award