Nonprofit honors veteran’s stories on display at local brewery

(WCIV) — A local brewery owner is finding a way to remember fallen veterans on Memorial Day and every day at Over The Horizon Brewing.

“What I love about Memorial Day, it is an opportunity to remember those that we’ve lost,” said James Browning, founder of Challenge Accepted Challenge Returned and owner of Over The Horizon Brewing.

Challenge Accepted Challenge Returned seeks those special stories about veterans and their insight into what they’ve gone through. The very small snippets shared through memorabilia and stories help to keep their memory alive and help the community reflect on their sacrifice.

“Not only does my story matter, but it matters to the rest of the world,” Browning said. “We are just trying to create a living museum of ways to express that to the world.”

Browning served for 22 years in the U.S. Army. Now, he’s making it a point to share the stories of all service men and women.

“The more opportunity I have to talk to different types of veterans from different types of backgrounds, it allows me to have more of an introspective look on my own experience,” Browning said. “There are days that are very dark, and it just brings a little bit of light to the world.”

He was inspired to share the stories of his fellow fallen soldiers to make sure they would never be forgotten, he said.

“It’s an opportunity to say that my story matters,” Browning added. “That resonates very well with community members here within Charleston and throughout the United States.”

At Over The Horizon Brewing, enjoying a pint allows patrons to explore stories of fallen heroes and view memorabilia from years of service.

“It’s a very relaxed atmosphere,” Browning said. “You can come in, take in what you see, take in what you read, and then walk away from knowing that at the very minimum, you thanked an individual directly to them.”

They can also leave and receive a challenge coin. It’s a small token of their appreciation and hopes the nonprofit continues to bring veterans together as it expands, Browning said.

“What I hope to see impacts in the future is that there’s a general intellectual curiosity about people’s lives,” he added.

Over Memorial Day weekend, they hosted a ride in partnership with Lowcountry Harley-Davidson, bringing dozens of veterans together. Challenge Accepted Challenge Returned also raises money for veteran support systems in the community. On June 21, they will host a 5K for 22 Until None, which aims to reduce veteran suicide.

“The stories will never stop,” Browning said. “The stories are going to remain meaningful, and I’m just happy to be of small part.”