Hardrock Charlie Foundation, Inc. connects Rangers with social, wellness, and financial support opportunities. Click on an event listing below for more information on how to participate. Our biggest event is the annual Ranger Reunion and the goal is to add more events throughout the year. As a member to our group, you will automatically be informed about new events and programs.
2026 Ranger Summit & Water Jump
The 2026 Summit will be in St. Augustine, FL this year from Thursday, April 30th through Sunday, May 3rd. We will be returning to the Guy Harvey Resort (860 SR-A1A Beach Blvd. St. Augustine, Fl. 32080) as our Host Hotel. We have initially reserved 110 rooms. Click here to make your reservation. If you’d like to call the resort directly, their number is (904) 471-2555. Make sure you tell them it’s for the Hardrock Charlie Summit to get the negotiated rates. This year, the Resort has kept the same pricing structure as last year.
Last year, we were able to aid Rangers and their families to attend the Hardrock Charlie Foundation (HCF) Summit, which may not have been in a place where they could have been without our aid. Our goal this year is to aid as many Rangers attend as we can. If you or any of your Ranger buddies are in need of assistance, please send a confidential email to either Dirk Horwedel at dhorwedel@hardrockcharliefoundation.org and/or Chaplain Steven Berry at steven.l.berry52@gmail.com. This will be held in the strictest confidence.
The resort was a major upgrade from Tavares, and the staff is fantastic. They are also a sponsor for our transportation to the jump. We will be again holding all our events onsite, except the jump. There is a great pool and tiki bar area at the resort as well as beach access from the resort. Old St. Augustine is a ten-minute Uber or Lyft from the resort, or a short trolley ride that picks you up at the front of the resort.
The Airborne Operation of the Summit will return and take place on Saturday, May 2nd, 2026. The airport and Drop Zone (DZ) are about a 45-minute drive from the resort, and the waterborne landing will take place in the St. Johns River. We will have charter buses for transportation for jumpers to the airport in the morning, returning to the hotel to transport Rangers not jumping, and family members to the DZ.
After the jump, the buses will shuttle all of us back to the resort. Round Canopy Parachute Team (RCPT), will be our partner for the jump again. This will be a closed event, and we will be the only organization jumping that day. We have 90-100 slots available for the jump.
All jumpers MUST join RCPT to be able to jump with us. Please go to https://rcptusa.org/join-us to join RCPT. The Annual Fee for RCPT is $75. As a member of RCPT, there are many other events that you will be able to take part in during the year. The fee for the jump is $250 this year and will be managed directly by RCPT. Be aware, you must provide your own Coast Guard with an approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD). We are working on trying to get some donated but have not acquired any at this time.
After your membership has been approved, we will send you the link and password to register for the jump. Please contact dmead@hardrockcharliefoundation.org or Lewis Prettyman at info@hardrockcharliefoundation.org for questions.
The HCF Summit fee will stay the same this year to $200 per Ranger. Ranger spouse fee will also stay at$125 and will include a special gift for the ladies. Payments can be made by Venmo (@HardrockCharlieFoundation), PayPal (dmead175@gmail.com), or Zelle (Hardrock Charlie Foundation). We are keeping it as low as possible while upgrading your experience. The Summit fee includes the welcome package, pool side dinner on Thursday featuring the music of Acoustic Flair, the Day Room for the weekend and post jump bash. This year, the Post Jump Bash will be held in the beach area at the hotel, so no walking will be needed. For your situational awareness, we are also pushing the start time of the bash back to late afternoon/early evening. After her short break to have a lovely baby daughter Neveah, Jesse G will be returning this year, and Matt Wynn will also be returning for the Bash entertainment. We are working on a list of added places of interest for you and your families.
The HCF, Back Azimuth Committee continues to be our main focus. The committee is working hard to ensure meaningful, confidential place to share stories if you choose. The Back Azimuth will be held in the conference room at the Resort. We invite Rangers and their families to participate. We will also have on-site support organizations available if wanted or needed.
We look forward to seeing all of you in May. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to any Board member. Their emails are listed here.