MEET THE FOUNDER
A Veteran Serving Veterans
As a combat veteran himself, Adam leads every retreat personally — not as an administrator or a bystander, but as a fellow warrior, a guide, and above all, a friend.
Adam Joens
Adam Joens was born and raised in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, and is a proud graduate of Cheyenne Eagle Butte School. Raised on the family farm and ranch, Adam learned responsibility and a strong work ethic from an early age — values that have shaped everything he has done since. He is an Army veteran who served as a 19D Cavalry Scout, Sergeant E-5 with the 3rd/3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment out of Fort Bliss, Texas, during Operation Desert Storm, an experience that further instilled in him a deep sense of duty, resilience, and a lifelong commitment to serving others.
After returning home, Adam continued building a life rooted in the land, ranching across various parts of the country. He holds an Agricultural Business degree from WesternDakota Technical Institute and went on to found and operate Joens Safety Consulting, contracting with oil companies in North Dakota for five years — bringing the same discipline and work ethic instilled in him from both the ranch and the military to the business world.
Today Adam is proud to call Spearfish, South Dakota home, where he lives with his wife Sarah. He has two grown sons, Seth and Zane, who have made their own marks in the agricultural world — a fact that makes him incredibly proud. When he's not working, you'll find him at the rodeo, out on the golf course, at the poker table, or planning the next adventure.
Giving back to his fellow veterans has always been close to Adam's heart. Having walked that road himself, he understands the challenges combat veterans face. That passion led him to found Paradise In The Pines Veterans Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to hosting combat veterans at his property in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. The retreat offers veterans a chance to relax and recharge through horse-related activities, UTV trail riding, and visits to iconic national monuments such as
Mount Rushmore — providing them the peace, camaraderie, and healing they deserve.
A Personal Note From Our Founder
For nearly six years this dream has lived in my heart — and today, with the grace of God and the support of people who believe in America’s combat veterans, it is finally becoming a reality.
As a combat veteran myself, it weighs heavily on me to know that so many men and women who risked absolutely everything — who left their families, their comfort, and their safety behind so that the rest of the world could live free — sometimes return home feeling as though they have nothing left worth living for. That thought is something I simply cannot
accept without taking action.
Paradise In The Pines Veterans Foundation is that action. It is my personal promise to my fellow veterans that they are seen, they are valued, and they are not alone. If this foundation can reach just one veteran standing at the edge of hopelessness and help change that thought process — then every ounce of hard work, every dollar raised, and every moment invested will have been more than worth it.
I will be honest with you — I know that welcoming these veterans into the beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota and watching them laugh, heal, and find one another is going to do my heart just as much good as it does theirs. This is not charity. This is family. This is veterans taking care of veterans — the way it should be.
To every person who supports this mission in any way — thank you from the deepest part of my soul. You are not just funding a retreat. You are helping save lives.
With gratitude and pride,
Adam Joens
Founder, Paradise In The Pines Veterans Foundation
Veterans Helping Veterans
Our
Goals
• To provide fully-funded, all-expenses-paid retreat experiences in the Black Hills
of South Dakota for deserving combat veterans, free of any financial burden to
the participants, ensuring that no warrior is ever turned away due to cost.
• To create a safe, stress-free environment where combat veterans can reconnect
with themselves and with fellow warriors who share a common bond of service
and sacrifice.
• To foster lasting friendships and a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood among
participants that extends well beyond the retreat itself, providing a network of
support that veterans can lean on during difficult times.
• To honor the service of America’s combat veterans in a tangible and meaningful
way, demonstrating that a grateful and patriotic nation has not forgotten their
sacrifice.
• To launch a series of pilot retreat experiences in the late summer and early fall of
2026, pending the securing of adequate funding, allowing Paradise In The Pines
Veterans Foundation the opportunity to evaluate what works, refine the
experience, and ensure that every aspect of the retreat meets the first class
standard our veterans deserve.
• To build upon the lessons learned during the 2026 pilot season and launch a full
schedule of retreats beginning in May of 2027, expanding the foundation’s reach
and impact and bringing the healing power of the beautiful Black Hills of South
Dakota to as many deserving combat veterans as possible.
• To grow Paradise In The Pines Veterans Foundation into a sustainable, well-
funded, and nationally recognized nonprofit that continues expanding its reach
and impact for generations of combat veterans to come.