Annual John Ripley Memorial Race

World IT Solutions is proud to be a corporate sponsor of the Ripley Race, a 5K road race to raise awareness and support for our men and women returning home from war. After 11 years of continuous, worldwide combat operations, nearly 45,000 US soldiers have been wounded – and many returning veterans come home to new challenges. We believe that as citizens, we share an obligation to take care of these men and women; honoring the sacrifices they have made.

Established in 2009, the Ripley Race is powered by the Cincinnatus Fund , a 501 (c) 3 that serves returning veterans where the system stops. This often means providing wounded soldiers with prosthetics and other tools that help them reprise a healthy, active life. This annual event is held in November, on the Sunday prior to Veteran’s Day, in Annapolis, Maryland. With nearly 1,000 runners, the 2010 Ripley Race raised $10,000 for the Semper Fi Fund and had tremendous support from the military community and their families. This year, we’re aiming higher. Join us by signing up for the race or making a tax-deductible donation to the cause.

The Ripley Race celebrates the legacy of valor and leadership of Colonel John W. Ripley Unites States Marine Corps (USMC). In a career that spanned more than 35 years, Colonel Ripley earned six valorous and 14 personal decorations in two tours of combat, including the Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart. During the 1972 North Vietnamese Easter Offensive, the then-Captain Ripley was responsible for destroying the Dong Ha Bridge. In a desperate and heroic action that would make him a legend in the Corps, Captain Ripley placed and detonated more than 600 pounds of explosives, stopping an enemy assault of more than 20,000 men.

For his courage and heroism at the Dong Ha Bridge, Captain Ripley was awarded the Navy Cross, the nation’s second highest award for valor. The destruction of the Dong Ha Bridge has been memorialized in a diorama at the U.S. Naval Academy entitled, "Ripley at the Bridge."
The Ripley Race commemorates a lifetime achievement in the service of his country and dedication to the nation he loved.

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Hoops Dreams Scholarship Fund

WITS has been a regular contributing sponsor to the Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund for over 5 years. This fund provides scholarships and mentors to inner-city High School students in Washington, DC. An overview of the Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund (HDSF) is listed below.

The Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund (HDSF) was founded in 1996 by Susie Kay, who taught American Government at H.D. Woodson High School in Washington, DC for over a decade. The organization began as a one-day event, a 3-on-3 charity basketball tournament staged to raise money for academic college scholarships for Kay's students. Since then, still led by Susie Kay, a committed group of dedicated volunteers, supporters and a small staff has worked to grow the effort into a year-round not-for-profit organization committed to expanding the academic and career horizons of Washington, DC public school students.

Since our inception in 1996, The Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund has helped send more than 920 DC public high school students to college and move toward a more positive and enriched future with the combination of awarding of over 1,600 academic college scholarships and renewals, totaling more than $3 million coupled with our year long college prep mentoring program, internship—career prep program and SAT prep partnership program with the Princeton Review. These programs and scholarships are combined with our community building efforts, which are all focused on empowering DC students and building bridges across diverse communities. Hoop Dreams has brought together more than 800 DC students and mentors from the local business community through our year long college prep mentoring program; facilitated hundreds of internships; engaged more than 1,000 volunteers in community work; and helped coach more than 400 students through our SAT prep program in partnership with The Princeton Review. We are also very proud to note that many of our Hoop Dreams college graduates have returned to volunteer and mentor with the organization, completing the circle of community service. More than 200 of Hoop Dreams students have now graduated from college. Most of our students are the first in their family to go to college. Hoop Dreams remains deeply committed to uniting the community and building bridges while supporting our local students and their dreams.

HDSF works to create relationships, build networks and provide resources that:

• Empower and support inner-city DC public high school students so they can find their best pathways to post-secondary education, career and an enriched life;
• Build bridges of understanding and collaboration between diverse communities in the metropolitan Washington DC region; and
• Promote an on-going commitment to community responsibility and a lasting spirit of service among students, volunteers supporters, and all involved.

9th Annual HDSF Congressional Reception in the Mansfield Room of the United States Capitol