Special Events
Friday, May 27, 2016
- Mindful Meditation Walk ~ 1:30 p.m.
In grief it is easy to become overwhelmed by the challenge of concentration and being present in the moment. During this session you are invited to learn simple techniques to use your senses, nature and your breath to bring calmness and awareness in your day-to-day life. These tools can help to bring grounding in moments that we feel overcome by the burden of emotion. Although this session will not contain strenuous activity, we will be venturing outside so please bring comfortable shoes and clothing appropriate for the outdoors. - Pentagon VIP Tour ~ 4:30 p.m.
This special VIP tour is offered after hours for our TAPS families. You will get to tour the building that houses all our Nation’s most important defense systems. You will be guided through the building learning the history of the Pentagon, getting to see how it looked in its early years, while walking the halls of some of the U.S’s greatest military leaders.
Dress:Dress casually, and wear comfortable shoes. Due to building security, no weapons or large bags are allowed, and no food or drink is allowed during the tour. *Note - this is a walking tour for 1.5 miles. We can accommodate those with canes, walkers, and wheelchairs, but we will need to know prior to the event so the Pentagon can provide any special services for the tour.
Dinner: Served on buses
Security Screening: 4:30 p.m. Depart: 5:30 p.m., Return: upon conclusion of the tour. We estimate arrival back at the hotel at 9:00 p.m.
Special note: Personal items will not be permitted to leave on the bus. - Pentagon Experience ~ 4:30 p.m.
This amazing and exclusive to TAPS families only festival-style open house will honor your family in a relaxed, interactive experience including activities for all who attend. Each branch of the service will be represented and this fun evening is sure to be a treasured memory of your 2016 National Military Survivor Seminar trip!
Dress: Dress casually, and wear comfortable shoes. Due to building security, no weapons or large bags are allowed, and no food or drink is allowed during the tour.
Dinner: Served on buses
Security Screening: 5:00 p.m. Depart: 5:30 p.m., Return: upon conclusion of the tour. We estimate arrival back at the hotel at 9:00 p.m.
Special note: Personal items will not be permitted to leave on the bus. - An Evening with the Stars at Madame Tussauds ~- 5:30 p.m.
Madame Tussauds combines the glamour and glitter of the world’s most famous faces with an unforgettable, interactive experience. Journey through America’s history as your wind your way through several iconic exhibits. Participate in a scavenger hunt to add additional fun and excitement to this experiences. As a guest of TAPS, you will enjoy a private room at the end of the tour, with a pizza party to sweeten the deal. Survivors will be able to tour the wax museum on their own. The museum will remain open to outside guest, but the pizza party will be in a location within the museum reserved just for our families.
Special note: Personal items will not be permitted to be left on the bus. - Potomac River Cruise ~ 5:45 p.m.
You will have the opportunity to see the city like no other. On this river cruise, you will get to see amazing historical sights from the waters of the famous Potomac river.
Survivors will mingle amongst themselves while the captain highlights several sites along the tour. Sites like: the Kennedy Center, the Lincoln Memorial, The Jefferson Memorial, and so much more.
Dress: Wear comfortable clothing, and bring layers as it can get a little chilly on the water.
Special note: Personal items will not be permitted to be left on the bus. - Washington Nationals Baseball Game ~ 5:45 p.m.
This event is perfect for those sports enthusiasts who want to see the Washington Nationals play the St. Louis Cardinals. Come prepared to root for the home team, and don’t forget the weather could get a little wet, or a little cold, so wear/bring appropriate attire.
Special note: Personal items will not be permitted to be left on the bus. - Moonlight Bus Tour of DC -6:30 p.m.
On this bus tour of Washington DC, led by expert guides, you will learn about the amazing monuments and memorial located in our Nation's capital. Sights will include the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial, the White House, the Iwo Jima Memorial, and the Jefferson Memorial.
Dress: Bring your cameras to capture the moments as you see and learn all about Our Nation’s Capital and its cherished architecture. - Bus and Walking Tour of DC ~ 6:30 p.m.
On this bus tour of Washington DC, led by expert guides, you will learn about the amazing monuments and memorials located in our Nation's capital. Sights and walking opportunities will include the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Wall, The Korean War Memorial, the Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial, and the White House.
Dress: Bring your cameras, and wear comfortable shoes as you walk among our Nation’s most cherished and sacred places. - The United States Marine Corps Evening Parade ~ 6:30 p.m.
A one hour and fifteen minute performance of music and precision marching, the Evening Parade features "The President's Own" United States Marine Band, "The Commandant's Own" The United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, the Marine Corps Color Guard, the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon, Ceremonial Marchers, and LCpl. Chesty XIII, the official mascot of Marine Barracks Washington. The Evening Parade, held every Friday evening during the summer, has become a universal symbol of the professionalism, discipline, and Esprit de Corps of the United States Marines.
Dress: Due to high security, no weapons of any kind are allowed within the Barracks premises. No food or beverages are permitted with the exception of water and baby food/bottles. Dress however you’d like, and remember to prepare to be outdoors, whether that means rain ponchos, sweaters and blankets or sunscreen
Return: upon conclusion of the Parade – this may be as late as 10:30 p.m. Your bus captain will give you specific instructions about where to board the bus following the event.
Special note: Personal items will not be permitted to be left on the bus.
We must arrive early to receive our seating and wait for the parade to begin. As entertainment in this interim, the Marine Corps members will provide a brief history of the Marine Corps Barracks, the Band, and Drum and Bugle Corps.
Saturday, May 28, 2016
- Sun Salutations Yoga ~ 7:00am - 8:00am
Get ready to face your day with a gentle yoga practice that will awaken your mind, open your heart and get your body moving. We will use our breath to ease into simple stretches and poses. No yoga experience required. You don't even have to be fully awake to participate! Come join and breathe with us, and together we will rise and shine. Mats provided. - Get outdoors with the TAPS Inner Warrior Program ~ 7:00am - 8:00am Get a jumpstart on your personal health and wellness. Join your fellow Inner Warriors and get outdoors for a morning meet-up as we go along the Mount Vernon trail for 30 minutes of running or walking. Not only will you have the opportunity to work in a morning wellness activity, but we will share stories with other survivors as we strive to be stronger each day. We encourage everyone of all fitness levels to participate.
- Saturday's Grand Banquet ~ 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., Arlington Ballroom
This will be a TAPS Family Celebration honoring our connections and our journeys. We will have a red carpet entrance, special star speakers and entertainment.
Dress: We want you to enjoy a special evening so please wear what is most comfortable to you.
Sunday, May 29, 2016
- Sun Salutations Yoga ~ 7:00am - 8:00am
Get ready to face your day with a gentle yoga practice that will awaken your mind, open your heart and get your body moving. We will use our breath to ease into simple stretches and poses. No yoga experience required. You don't even have to be fully awake to participate! Come join and breathe with us, and together we will rise and shine. Mats provided. - Get outdoors with the TAPS Inner Warrior Program ~ 7:00am - 8:00am Get a jumpstart on your personal health and wellness. Join your fellow Inner Warriors and get outdoors for a morning meet-up as we go along the Mount Vernon trail for 30 minutes of running or walking. Not only will you have the opportunity to work in a morning wellness activity, but we will share stories with other survivors as we strive to be stronger each day. We encourage everyone of all fitness levels to participate.
- A Quiet Time for Reflection and Response ~ 8:30am - 10:00am
Join fellow survivors in a quiet time of reflection and response where you can quietly meditate on your favorite biblical verse, poem and/or sacred writings of your faith that provide you with hope and encouragement to move forward. A Protestant devotional message will be offered at the close of this session for those who wish to stay and fellowship. Prayer will be available upon request. This session will be led by Chaplain Doug Windley, N.C. Army National Guard. - Yoga for Stress and Anxiety with Rayanne ~ 8:30am - 10:00am and 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Trauma and long term stress and anxiety activate the stress response causing chaos in your body. In using yoga you can increase the relaxation response by encouraging a calm breath, reducing muscle tension, creating body awareness, and promoting sound sleep. Allowing you to discover and reverse long term consequences of stress, anxiety, and trauma. Yoga and mindfulness practices can help you to better understand, make peace with, manage, and release emotional triggers and feelings. Teaching you to stay present with intention, which can relieve you from worrying about the future or the past. All of this transfers off the mat, bringing fresh awareness into your everyday experience. - Washington Nationals Baseball Game ~ 12:30 p.m.
This event is perfect for those sports enthusiasts who want to see the Washington Nationals play the St. Louis Cardinals.
Come prepared to root for the home team, and don’t forget the weather could get a little wet, or a little cold, so wear/bring appropriate attire.
If you have children in the Good Grief Camp, please know you will not be back to the hotel in time to pick up your child from camp.
Special note: Personal items will not be permitted to be left on the bus. - National Memorial Day Choral Festival ~ 2:00 p.m.
Music Celebrations is pleased to be associated with a joint venture by the American Veterans Center and Music Celebrations International to attract greater attention to the true meaning of the Memorial Day. During this performance, we remember our heroes through song in our Nation's Capital. Choirs from across the United States will join in this commemoration in the Concert Hall of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Special notes: If you have children in the Good Grief Camp, please know you will not be back to the hotel in time to pick up your child from camp. Personal items will not be permitted to be left on the bus. - TAPS Family BBQ - with Entertainment by Wildefire. Picnic Style BBQ ~ 5:00pm
This will be an evening with our entire TAPS Family! Thematically based on the traditional backyard BBQ’s our nation uses to connect and reflect with close family and friends, we will enjoy a meal from Mission BBQ and additional entertainment. This evening is sure to bring smiles and laughter to all!
We will NOT be providing transportation to the PBS hosted Memorial Day Concert on the Capitol. We will also NOT be broadcasting the event at the hotel. If you would like to attend this event, maps to get there may be found through the hotel’s concierge.
Monday, Memorial Day, May 30, 2016
- Sun Salutations Yoga ~ 7:00am - 8:00am
Get ready to face your day with a gentle yoga practice that will awaken your mind, open your heart and get your body moving. We will use our breath to ease into simple stretches and poses. No yoga experience required. You don't even have to be fully awake to participate! Come join and breathe with us, and together we will rise and shine. Mats provided. - Arlington National Cemetery, Memorial Day Service ~ 7:15 a.m. - 2 p.m.
The annual Memorial Day tribute is one of the only three ceremonies open to the public each year at Arlington National Cemetery. A concert preludes the Wreath Laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at 10:30 a.m. by President Barack Obama. This somber and powerful event is followed by the remembrance ceremony at 11:00 a.m., affording us the opportunity to honor the service and sacrifice of our loved ones. There will be a chance for you to watch the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before the ceremony.
Dress: You can wear whatever is most comfortable to you, whether that be your Sunday best or your TAPS shirt! Please remember, though, that we will be sitting outside for the duration of the event. Please bring sunscreen and dress for the weather. TAPS will provide paddle fans and water for you, as well as bus transportation to and from the ceremony.
Buses load: 6:45 a.m., Depart: 7:15 a.m., Return: between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. Your bus captain will give you specific instructions about where to meet the bus following the ceremonies at Arlington.
Special note: Personal items will not be permitted to be left on the bus. Attendees will be required to pass through a security checkpoint to gain access to the ceremony. Prohibited items include: large bags or backpacks, firearms and weapons of any type, laser pointers, aerosol containers, soda cans, umbrellas, coolers, picnic baskets, tripods, lighters, personal protection sprays, and insulated beverage containers. - National Memorial Day Parade ~ 12:15 - 5 p.m.
The National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, DC is a flag-waving event with patriotic marches and floats. The Parade is sponsored by the WWII Veterans Committee and is an annual tradition for Americans to come together to honor those who have sacrificed so much in service to our country. You will be able to see some of your own TAPS family riding the float in the parade, and others walking alongside it as a tribute to the path that we’re walking together. Spend this sacred afternoon in celebrating the lives of our heroes in the company of a small group of TAPS loved ones.
Dress: Wear your TAPS t-shirt and comfortable shoes. Buses will be available to get you to and from the parade. Dress for the weather, since we’ll be outside, and don’t forget sunscreen! We will have water on the buses, but we encourage you to bring your TAPS water bottles.
Your bus captain will give you specific details about where the bus will be waiting at the venue.
Special note: Personal items will not be permitted to be left on the bus.
Adventures
Offsite Adventures
How to sign-up for an adventure: Offsite Adventures are open to everyone. For those interested, pre-registration information will be available in our final newsletter sent in May. We ask that everyone sign up for only one offsite adventure. If space is still available, there will also be opportunity to register at check-in Thursday, May 26th at the Offsite Adventures table!
Saturday, May 28
- Hike ~ Reflective low intensity 3 mile hike through Rock Creek Park ~ 9am - 12:15pm
“Go Outside: Get Lost and Find Yourself”
Take a breath of fresh air and walk with us on this guided journey through nature and grief- where both life and death exist beautifully together. - Equine Assisted Learning ~ 9am - 4pm
“Befriending the Giant: Gaining Confidence to Overcome Fears and Build Healthy Relationships”
A focused, interactive equine experience in which emotions can be felt and processed as they happen in a fun and safe setting. Led by qualified mental health professionals. Horses will not be ridden. - Kayaking ~ Kayak on the Potomac River ~ 1:30pm - 4:45pm
“Lifeboat: Strength, Persistence & Teamwork on the Water”
Don’t let the tides of grief decide where you are going. Join us as we work together to move forward with real intent down the river of hope and healing. - National Portrait Gallery ~ 1:30pm - 4:45pm
"Being Seen: Perceptions on Self and Grief"
Exploring our masks, our game faces and what’s underneath as we explore the National Portrait Gallery together.
Sunday, May 29
- Trapeze School of New York ~ 7:30am - 10:30am; 9:45am - 12:30pm
"This Could be the Day that You Fly"
Leave your cares behind and take healing to new heights. Lean on the literal and metaphorical support of your peers as you reach outside your comfort zone and discover where life begins again. - Indoor Rock Climbing at Sportrock Alexandria ~ 1:00pm - 3:30pm
"Finding a Foothold, Reaching Out"
Explore strength from within, your own "help on the ground," and the relationships between choices and meaningful movement while rock climbing