Denver, CO -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/03/2014 -- The 3rd Annual Rocky Mountain Oil and Gas Poker Classic, benefiting Project Sanctuary this past November, was another record breaker. The event generated over $24,500 in donations to Project Sanctuary—bringing the three-year total to $53,000 for services to our military families. The donations support Project Sanctuary's six-day retreats, which help military families go from battle ready to family ready.

Project Sanctuary's retreats bring military families together in therapeutic outdoor settings so they can reconnect and heal. Some of the families are dealing with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), possible divorce and ongoing turmoil due to their visible and/or invisible wounds. With plenty of recreation and family time built in, the retreats bring the smiles back to the faces of the family members while also providing valuable classes on healthy marriages, financial success and much more.

"We are extremely grateful to the Rocky Mountain Oil and Gas industry for their ongoing support of military families over the past three years," said Heather Ehle, founder and executive director of Project Sanctuary. "The Poker Classic has turned into a fun event with an important purpose. Each year, a few of our Project Sanctuary military families are invited to join in the fun. Our families are blown away both by the generosity and the genuine thoughtfulness of the oil and gas industry attendees. The industry's support helps families who desperately need our retreats to save their families and to equip them for a successful future."

"The Oil and Gas Industry of the Rocky Mountain Region is proud to support our service men and women and their families through our annual fundraising poker event," said Jess Peonio, Axia Energy, Event Organizer. "Project Sanctuary was selected as our primary beneficiary for many reasons: the local oil and gas industry's support of our service men and women, the fact that our contribution would be meaningful, and that Project Sanctuary provides transition services for the entire family as we appreciate that the entire family serves. The event and fundraising would not be possible without the generous participants and sponsors throughout our industry."

About Project Sanctuary
Founded in 2007, Project Sanctuary takes our military families from battle-ready to family-ready by providing six-day, outdoor, therapeutic retreats in a healing environment and ongoing family support services for two years following each retreat. Sponsors that help make the retreats possible include the USO, First Command Financial Services, Aimco Cares, Healthy Marriage Project, YMCA of the Rockies, SM Energy, Rocky Mountain Ace Hardware, and JetBlue.

More information is available online at http://www.projectsanctuary.us