Our Mission
Our origins start in Payson and were based on 2 needs. Joshua was working for the VA and saw a need to give further support to vets, especially younger ones who needed additional support for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Military Sexual Trauma (MST), substance abuse and depression. He wanted a different way to build friendships and connect people to others outside of the standard mental health services by the VA.
The other need was in Payson there hadn’t been any adult softball tournaments in years, nor any teams that would play outside of league. The town had a park with a few fields, but they weren’t being used on weekends outside a couple high school or little league tournaments.
The idea was born to connect the two. Joshua had always connected with people in the military and civilian life by playing softball and Payson needed a more active scene. Once the tournaments started getting to point they were generating revenue, it was decided to donate the money to local Veteran organizations with a primary focus on PTSD, MST and additionally raise Veteran suicide awareness.
Shortly thereafter, the tournaments got big enough where he needed help and that’s were his family stepped up. It has become a family affair with his mother and brother on the board, with several members helping out with different tournaments through the years to include both sets of parents, their spouses, his brother and his wife, plus his aunt.
Our Team
Joshua Lyon
Retired Military Veteran
Joshua is a 20 yr retired military veteran that has worked for the VA with a passion for helping veterans fight depression, PTSD and the Opioid crisis. In working for the VA, he realized that there needed to be another way to help Veterans outside the VA and current medical system. For over 25 years, softball had given him friends and connections that helped him fight his own battle with depression. It was with this premise that he started Home Runs for Vets, as he not only saw a need for more fun adult softball tournaments but a way to raise Veteran Suicide awareness.
Mary blunt
Retired Postal Worker
Mary is Joshua’s mother. She is a wife, mother and grandmother. She is also a retired postal worker. She loves being with her children and grandchildren. She loves to help with the tournaments and proudly supports the efforts to help veterans. When she is not helping her family she enjoys crocheting, doing genealogy and traveling.
Anthony Munson
Retired Navy
Anthony spent the first 9 years of his professional career in the United States Navy. He spent the first 2 years as a firefighter onboard the aircraft carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln. After discharging from the Navy, he attended Gonzaga University and earned a degree in Business Administration with focuses on Finance and Supply Chain Operations. Anthony currently resides in Tacoma, Washington and flies down to Payson in order to volunteer at the tournaments. Anthony joined the board of Home Runs for Vets because he saw the impact that the softball community had in helping his brother Josh in bringing awareness to veteran suicide prevention.