Lockton, the privately held insurance brokerage, raised nearly $900,000 for Move United Warfighters at its 11th Annual Warfighters Charity Challenge. The event took place September 14 at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.
Move United Warfighters supports wounded veterans through adaptive sports programs designed around recovery, confidence and community participation. Lockton’s annual event has generated more than $5 mn during its 11-year run, funding programs for veterans across the United States.
Gary Giulietti, a Lockton partner and one of the event’s founders, said the gathering creates connections reaching well beyond the golf course. Veterans spend the day with sponsors, supporters and families, giving participants time together outside formal rehabilitation settings.
Giulietti said Americans remain indebted to military personnel who defend the country, as well as their families. Supporting veterans, in his view, represents a basic response to the sacrifices made during military service.
He added that the charity event gives veterans an environment where people listen to their experiences and treat their service with respect. The social element matters alongside fundraising, especially for veterans dealing with long recovery periods after serious injuries.
This year’s challenge brought together 244 golfers and 67 warfighters. Fundraising came through sponsorship agreements, course contests and raffles, along with live and silent auctions held during the event.
Professional golfers Craig Stadler, known as The Walrus, and Pat McGowan also attended. Both have supported veteran causes and spent the day offering golf advice while meeting participants around the course.
The program closed with remarks from Nick Lavery, an active-duty U.S. Army Green Beret. Lavery lost his leg during an insider attack while deployed in Afghanistan in 2013.
Rather than accept medical retirement, he pursued a return to active operational service. His appearance focused on his experience after the injury and the process of returning to military duty.
Glenn Merry, CEO of Move United, said Lockton’s financial support gives wounded warfighters direct access to adaptive sports programs. Those programs operate within veterans’ local communities, where participants already live and maintain their personal networks.
According to Merry, regular participation in sport supports physical health and mental health, while also helping veterans stay connected socially. He said the organization depends on contributions from Lockton and its business partners to fund services for the veteran community.
The Charity Challenge also gives participating veterans time with others facing traumatic injuries or long-term medical conditions. For some attendees, the event reduces isolation by bringing military peers together with civilians who want to understand their experiences.
One participating veteran said playing golf alongside sponsors carried more meaning than the sponsors might have expected. Conversations during the event, including the laughter and genuine interest shown by other participants, helped him feel respected and less isolated.
He said spending time with fellow veterans and supportive sponsors gave him renewed purpose and pride during recovery. Seeing the American flag throughout the event also carried personal meaning. Returning each year, he said, reminds him that recovery doesn’t have to happen alone.
Another veteran described the gathering as therapeutic for warriors managing traumatic injuries, serious health problems or disease. Time with others dealing with similar personal struggles creates a level of understanding that everyday settings don’t always provide.
The same veteran said participants also felt overwhelmed by the scale of community support surrounding the event. Volunteers contributed their time, while sponsors and golfers provided financial backing through the day’s fundraising activities.
For participating veterans, he said, the visible level of respect for U.S. military personnel often creates an emotional response. The event gives them direct contact with a community willing to spend time with them, hear their experiences and contribute to their recovery through Move United’s adaptive sports programs.
