OUR BRAVE WARRIORS ARE STILL DEPLOYING DESPITE COVID-19. THEREFORE, OUR MISSION NEVER STOPS. WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW MORE THAN EVER. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THESE FAMILIES.
Upcoming Events
Wreaths Across America - December 19th
Wreaths Across America sets an ambitious goal each year to place a wreath on EVERY hero's grave on National Wreaths Across America Day.

On December 19, 2020, The C4 Foundation will be at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery to help place wreaths on gravesites to remember and honor our fallen American heroes by laying “Remembrance Wreaths”.
975 Wreaths Were Sponsored Through The C4 Foundation! Purchased!

We sincerely appreciate everyone who purchased a wreath!
SEAL Family Testimonial
The Holiday season is upon us, and we are so excited to continue hosting SEALs and their families at the C4 Ranch. Although 2020 has been challenging, we are so blessed to continue serving them. Below is a testimonial from one of our SEAL families.

This was such a peaceful getaway for our family after a deployment. We are so grateful for your hospitality and graciousness to our family and the entire NSW community. This is such a special place and know that it didn’t come without a huge sacrifice. God bless each and every one of you.

With Gratitude, - Navy SEAL Family
My husband and I had a wonderful time at the C4 Ranch!  We enjoyed exploring on the side by side, fishing at the pond, the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, crisp air, watching the long-horned cows, and sitting by the fire.  Most of all, we relished the time to reconnect and nurture our relationship away from the daily grind.  It is easy to get caught up in the mundane things that constantly require our attention, in addition to supporting our loved ones who answer the call to serve in such an elite capacity.  The opportunity to stay at the ranch allows us to be present in the moment, reflect on what brings, and keeps us together, and slow time down just a bit.  I especially loved visiting the chapel.  Thank you again for your efforts to “Preserve and Strengthen the Family” and providing this wonderful opportunity. We look forward to coming back again with our young adult children.

Foundation News
JOIN THE CHUCK HEAVY MOVEMENT, Become a C4 Family Member, and Qualify for Monthly Giveaways!
This month's giveaway is a from Protekt!

Founded by 2 veterans and legendary waterman Mark Healey, Protekt is proud to offer 3 giveaway prize packs that include their full lineup of sunscreen and supplement products.

The Protekt family of wellness provisions has been specifically designed to simplify what you need to optimize your overall health. The team at Protekt has spent their lives testing products. Their goal is to find the edge that we all want. A commitment to both disciplined sleep and proper hydration has been the winning combination. They create and curate simple supplements for athletes that support effective routines that will yield results. These are the endurance supplements that keep you in the fight.

We will have more giveaways with our partner sponsors throughout the year. There are only 2 rules to be eligible to win:

  1. Follow C4 Foundation and our partner sponsors on Instagram & Facebook.
  2. Become a monthly subscriber to the C4 Foundation (just $4/mo).

There are many ways to donate. Donations of any size are appreciated. Please visit our Donations Page to learn about all the ways to donate and all the options to become involved!
Get Your URT X C4 Foundation Gear
The Perfect Christmas Gift! 
Gratitude Workshop - With Dr. Glenn Fox, PhD
Gratitude is more than just part of holiday traditions, it is an integral part of C4 Ranch programs. Studies have shown that gratitude helps build resilience and family togetherness. On November 19, 2020, The C4 Foundation held a virtual Gratitude Workshop with our very own Dr. Glenn Fox. It was an informative event with 15 SEAL families attending. The 60-minute workshop featured the background on the science of gratitude and most importantly, ways to implement gratitude in the upcoming holiday season of family celebrations and traditions, and what not to do when it comes to gratitude. Every family that participated will receive a C4 Family Paddle Connection Kit that has activities and guides for creating individual family paddles that has a family name and a customized crest carved into it.

Gratitude can also help ALL families stay connected and focus on what REALLY matters. Our C4 Gratitude Workshop brings awareness to count our blessings rather than recounting our problems, especially during these daunting times in the world. A gratitude mindset will change perspective on the very purpose and joy of life. No matter our situation, showing gratitude for our privileges is a fast-acting and long-lasting prescription to a happier life. Although gratitude does not spare us from sorrow, sadness, grief and pain, it does soothe our feelings. So we encourage you to look for the positive in everything, and to give thanks.

Don't Forget Giving Tuesday on December 1, 2020

Here are a few ways you or someone you know can
GIVE to the C4 Foundation during this Holiday Season:
  • Create A Facebook Fundraiser On Behalf of the C4 Foundation. We have seen very creative ways to give such as Holidays, Birthdays, Wedding gifts, Company fundraisers, Tax returns, Corporate and employee matching, and Raffles.

  • Verbally tell people about our mission to help Navy SEAL's and their families. We love the grass-roots approach for building awareness for the C4 Foundation. Word of mouth is key.

  • Sponsor a C4 Platoon Dinner - For more info on Platoon Dinners, email us at Info@C4Foundation.org.
Below is the link to create a fundraiser on behalf of the C4 Foundation. If you have any questions or need any help doing this please contact rowlynda@c4foundation.org.
Here are a few content examples to help create your Facebook/Instagram Fundraiser:
  • "Your contribution, no matter the amount will make an impact. Every donation helps! It is the mission of the C4 Foundation to provide a powerful venue to honor Navy SEALs and their families in remembrance of the courage, heroism, energy and vision of Naval Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer Charles Keating IV (C4). One of Charlie's favorite sayings was "Moderation is For Cowards" and those are truly words to live by. Your contribution helps support SEALs and their families to prepare for deployment, and decompress and reconnect after deployment."

  • "The C4 Foundation provides support and resources through science-based programs to active duty Navy SEALs and their families. We strengthen family relationships and enhance support networks for our most elite warriors, their immediate families, and the SEAL community as a whole. We work to preserve the family unit. Your contribution helps support SEALs and their families to prepare for deployment, and decompress and reconnect after deployment."

  • "In order to make this mission possible, the C4 Foundation has acquired a 560+ acre ranch in the mountains of San Diego with outdoor activities for the entire family that include fishing, hiking, camping, farming and a petting zoo. The C4 Ranch is complete with unobstructed 360-degree views that range from the Great Sonoran Desert to the Pacific Ocean. Your contribution helps support SEALs and their families to prepare for deployment, and decompress and reconnect after deployment."
Lessons From The C4 Ranch
On Shorter Days
By Dr. Glenn Fox, C4 Foundation Chief Science Officer
There are good reasons for the holidays to take place during October to December. Long, warm, and sunny, afternoons from August offered plenty of time to play outside, but they were short on the evening times for rest and reflection. Thanks to the wavering tilt of the earth, our hemisphere is now pitching away from the sun, rendering our days shorter, and the chances for rest and reflection longer. 

We miss the long days, but we need to remember that there are still 24 hours in a day, and we still have the opportunity to get the most out of each one. This is probably why so many celebrations and holidays can and should take place in the winter. What better time to stare aimlessly at a fire, have a long phone call, bake something in the oven, and share a moment with friends and family (however distant they may be this year). So while we may lament the long nights and some of the stressors we’re facing, it is worth remembering that those types of feelings are also an appropriate time to reflect and savor. 

This year in particular, we should fight the urge to feel the pandemic fatigue, and just wish for all the time to go by without all the pain and social distance. The holidays happen regardless of whether it has been an easy year or a tough one. That is by design. It reminds us that we all deserve the opportunity to reflect and savor no matter the circumstance. If we cannot feel great in the moment, we can try to remember a time when we did, or look forward to a time that we will, and we can do whatever we like to make these exact moments as meaningful as they can be. If we’ve been having a good stretch of easy living, then all the more reason to celebrate and savor. Here’s wishing everyone in our C4 Foundation Family a full, meaningful, and optimistic holiday season. Time to get cozy. 
 
Written By: Glenn R. Fox, PhD
Thank You
Thank You to Elston Hay & Grain for their generous donation of 260 bails of hay!

The C4 Foundation would like to give a special THANK YOU to Cameron Elston from Elston Hay & Grain for donating 260 bails of hay for our animals at the C4 Ranch! Elston Hay & Grain has two locations in Romona and Poway.

We are so grateful for this kind of donation because it directly benefits the horses, donkeys, bison, mules, cattle, alpacas, llama, goats and rabbits. This generous donation will help us get through the next few winter months. Thanks so much Cameron!
C4 Foundation Leadership
The C4 Foundation is a 501C3 national non-profit charitable organization. Tax-ID: 82-2075362. It is a non-federal entity and is not party of the Department of Defense or any of its components.