Notes from the Field: April 2019

NOTES FROM THE FIELD: APRIL 2019 

This beautiful shot taken from the 3rd Annual Great Creek Hunt Club Turkey Hunt. Photo credit to WWIA Guide Nick Fox.

Notes From the Field: April 2019

April was an exciting month as we hosted four events in four different states providing our Heroes with opportunities to harvest turkeys and enjoy some pristine fishing. As the weather warms and we gear up for even more events, we want to take time to acknowledge the tremendous support behind WWIA. There are many moving parts that go into making these events possible, and we would like to sincerely thank all of our amazing donors, Hosts, Associates, Guides, volunteers, and communities that faithfully serve our Purple Heart Heroes. Your dedication and generosity allow us to continue our mission to honor, connect and heal our Wounded Warriors!

Events and Fundraisers

5th Annual DoubleCreek TN Turkey Hunt

April 5-8  Hohenwald, TN

3rd Annual Great Creek Hunt Club Turkey Hunt

April 25-28  Alberta, VA

Four of our Heroes traveled to Alberta, VA to take part in the 3rd Annual Great Creek Hunt Club Turkey Hunt. This event has tremendous community support and they always do an exceptional job of welcoming our Purple Heart Heroes and making them feel like family. In addition to world-class turkey hunting, the food and fellowship throughout the 4-day event were second-to-none. We would like to express our genuine thanks and gratitude to Hosts Andy Wilson and the Great Creek Hunt Club for their outstanding attention and care shown toward our Heroes. Special thanks go to WWIA Guide Nick Fox for his contributions and support during the event. 

 "I want to thank WWIA for inviting me on the Turkey Hunt with the Great Creek Hunt Club. I cannot
explain in full how much fun this hunt was, Great Creek Hunt Club put on an excellent weekend hunting
experience. The Great Creek Hunt Club kept us fed and in great spirits, their respect and concern for
what we did in the military were overwhelming and their hospitality was over the top excellent! I just
want to say Thank you to WWIA and Great Creek Hunt Club for an experience I’ll never forget. The only
bad part of the whole experience is now I am hooked on Turkey hunting so I will have to go out and
purchase turkey gear to add to my deer hunting gear. I guess that’s not a bad thing if you think about it." 

10th Annual Wisconsin Cast & Blast

April 26th - 29th  Rothschild, WI

Four of our Heroes made the trek to Rothschild, WI for the 10th Annual Wisconsin Cast & Blast. Our Heroes enjoyed time in the blinds hunting for turkeys and were also able to get in some quality fishing as well. This event provided our Heroes the opportunity to get to know one another over shared stories and experiences and form new friendships in a relaxing environment. Time spent in the great outdoors, along with the delicious food, camaraderie, and beautiful accommodations truly made this 4-day excursion a treasured memory for our Heroes. We would like to convey our highest thanks to Hosts Todd and Dawn Bohm for conducting another top-tier event and also to WWIA Guide Derek VanBuren for his exceptional care and coordination throughout the event.

"Dear WWIA Founder, staff and supporters, thank you very much for allowing me the opportunity to get out into the woods across the country to hunt with awesome people, who are now friends. What you do for Wounded Warriors like us means a lot to us. Especially when most of us are in desperate need for a chance in life. God Bless you and your staff’s families."

Inaugural Missouri Spring Turkey Hunt

April 26th-29th  Cairo, MO

The supporters of the Inaugural Missouri Spring Turkey Hunt was excited to welcome four of our Purple Heart Heroes to Cairo, MO. This new event is held on 524 acres of private woodlands and is ideal for hunting and relaxing in the great outdoors. Our Heroes loved their time in the Missouri wilderness and enjoyed being able to connect with other Purple Heart veterans through the sharing of stories and experiences. The highlight of this event is the lasting friendships and bonds formed between brothers that will carry on long after the event has ended. We would like to express our appreciation and praise to Host Brian Whetstone and friends for their outstanding efforts and dedication to our Heroes. Additional recognition and thanks to camp owners Dr. Mark and Lisa Rickmeyer, to coordinators Dave and Tracy Baynes, and Keith and Beth Rupreicht. High praise and gratitude to WWIA Guide Jake Whipkey for his tremendous care and attention throughout the event.  

"I just wanted (had) to take a minute to thank you and everyone involved for an AMAZING trip to Missouri. It exceeded all expectations. To get away and be among some of the finest humans I’ve ever met and learn how to hunt gobblers from legit experts like that was an indescribable feeling. The Hosts and Guides were awesome. I was overwhelmed with how well we were treated; truly an epic experience. The VA offers a lot of group therapy options and so-called mental health professionals analyzing our broken down bodies and minds usually resulting in pills and effectiveness is marginal at best, sometimes regression (not a good thing although the best they can offer). What your organization does is better medicine than what any doctor can give. What you do is important. It’s easy to forget there are people out there that appreciate the sacrifices their military veterans have made for them and on this trip it was abundantly clear. To be honest, I felt like it was more than I deserved. I came out of this thing feeling GREAT."

The WWIA Sweepstakes is Here! 

The WWIA Sweepstakes has officially begun! Go to: wwiaf.org/sweepstakes to purchase your ticket for a chance to win the Grand Prize: a .30-30 Henry Repeating Arms Lever-Action Rifle with custom engraving by Baron Technologies or $2,500 in cash. We also have other amazing prizes available so tell your friends and family, share this opportunity with others, and enter for your chance to win! NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Ends 7/30/19. Open to legal residents of 50 US & DC who are 21 or older. Subject to full Official Rules (wwiaf.org/sweepstakes/rules). Void where prohibited by law.

 Jerry's Bar & Grill Flash Fundraiser

April 19th  Oshkosh, WI

Hides for Heroes 2018 Campaign

Waupaca, Wisconsin

Hides for Heroes continues to go above and beyond in support of WWIA and our Purple Heart Heroes. For the 2018 deer season, Hides for Heroes broke the old record of 1,248 hides last year by almost 500 more! This year an impressive 1,744 hides were collected and Hides for Heroes raised an unbelievable $7,100 from this year's collective efforts! A tremendous debt of gratitude to Dave Hintz, Waupaca Foundry, all the hunters, individuals, and businesses who generously donated hides, promoted this phenomenal annual campaign and volunteered their time to make this possible. Special recognition and thanks also to these AMAZING volunteers: McKenna and AJ Borchardt, Bob Swanson, Steve Buck, John Carlson, Trent Sauter, Kyle Meives, Jeff Williams, Casey Williams, Ashley and Katie Loehrke, Erle and Brenda Towne, Chuck Hultman, Ratchel Walters, and Matt Wilbert. Additional thanks to Paul Glodowski for purchasing hides. Our sincere gratitude to those who made monetary donations from Waupaca Foundry Inc. Scott and Deena Castle, Valley Scale, James Parins of Matrix Sensors, Bob and Kim Spoerl, Waupaca Truck Stop, and Bethany Homes of Waupaca. 

WWIA April Spotlight 

We are truly humbled by the incredible efforts and selflessness displayed by our amazing WWIA event Hosts. This month we are proud to introduce you to our April Spotlight Feature, Hosts of the Annual BC Bear Hunt (now celebrating its 8th year), and owner and outfitters of Skinner Creek Hunts, Doug and Julie McMann. Doug and Julie graciously took time to answer some questions so we can get to know them better and understand their passion for serving our Heroes. 

Doug and Julie, can you please give us a brief introduction and tell us a little about yourselves and your family?

My wife Julie, and kids Colton and Courtney have lived here at Skinner Creek on Tatlayoko Lake, British Columbia now for 15 years. Leaving the city life behind we had to develop a plan to make a go of it outside of our comfort zone. I was formerly a construction manager in the city but had always loved the outdoors and had the desire to raise our kids in a rural setting. We had the opportunity to purchase a guide concession a few years after moving. With some convincing from my wife we took the plunge and bought it becoming full-time outfitters. Having the ability to watch our kids grow up riding dirt bikes, snow machines, horses, hunting in the spring and fall and even wetting a fishing line when they wanted has been a dream come true. Outfitting has allowed us to share our experiences with others. 

How did you first get involved with WWIA? 

I had repeatedly heard the sad story of veteran suicides averaging somewhere around 22 per day and it weighed heavily on my heart and mind each time I heard this. This topic was often discussed around our table and we really wanted our kids to understand the impact of how war(s) have affected the men and women who have valiantly served to protect our freedoms. Nine years ago, I had the thought to start committing a week out of each year to host combat-wounded veterans. You would think that finding an organization to send you Heroes for an all-expenses-paid week in the beautiful Canadian wilderness would be easy! It was not as easy as I had anticipated, perhaps because of our location in Canada, but rarely would I get a callback or even a return email from organizations I had contacted. Eventually, I found the WWIA website and read how it was founded and led by a 20-year Army veteran who seemed to be personally committed to helping wounded Heroes. I sent John McDaniel a quick email that night hoping I might get a response. I could hardly believe it when the phone rang 10 minutes later, and it was John on the other end. He had called at 1:00 am Florida time and I knew right then that I had found the right man and organization to work with. 

Why do you choose to be a WWIA Host?

Since that night on the phone when I first connected with John and the Foundation, we have had the privilege to host 9 different hunts over the past 7 years and are looking forward to this upcoming 2019 spring bear hunt. Every one of these hunts has been special for our entire family. With lifelong friends made every year with every Hero that walks through our door. It is awesome to see these Heroes come into our lives for six or seven days and leave friends. The smiles on the Heroes' faces each day, the laughter and sharing of personal stories and experiences throughout the event show us first-hand how the WWIA is changing lives. 

What has been the biggest benefit for you since becoming involved with WWIA? 

One of the greatest benefits in being a part of WWIA is meeting awesome Americans and Canadians who care and genuinely value the sacrifices of veterans and their families. The life-lasting friendships you make at each event are priceless.  

What would you say to others who are considering getting involved with WWIA either as a Host or in any other capacity?

I would recommend to any person or outfitter to get involved by either hosting an event or donating their time or money to help WWIA and these awesome men and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedoms. You will get as much if not more out of the experience then the people you are hosting. It has truly been a life-changing experience for each member of our family. 

We would like to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude to the following supporters for their gracious contributions and dedication to WWIA and our Heroes. THANK YOU!

Donations:

Holland Fiberglass and Restoration, LLC $3,250

Cinthia Jean Kesten (via CARS donation) $711.16

Kimberly Clark (via CARS donation) $626.41

Teri McGowen (via CARS donation) $538.66

Donation toward 7th Annual Bayfield Cast & Blast

Dairyland Fence Co. $4,000

Donation toward 2nd Annual Ohio Masons Lake Erie Walleye

    Ross Environmental Services, Inc. $2,000 

Donation toward 5th Annual DoubleCreekTennessee Turkey Hunt

NRA Foundation $2,700

Donation toward 5th Annual Western PA Turkey Hunt

William Decker $500

Donation toward 5th Annual Dave Harris Memorial Billfish Tournament

Donald Rains $500

Donation toward 10th Annual WI Cast & Blast

Veterans of Foreign Wars #2687 Tomahawk, WI $1,000

Thank you Disabled Veterans National Foundation!

WWIA would like to recognize and sincerely thank the Disabled Veterans National Foundation (DVNF) for recently awarding WWIA a grant that will assist our Heroes in traveling to and from WWIA events throughout North America. DVNF awards grants to organizations who are addressing the mental and physical recovery of veterans. WWIA is honored to have been selected as a 2019 grant recipient and is proud to partner with DVNF in serving our veterans and bringing healing and recovery to our combat-wounded Purple Heart Heroes. To learn more about DVNF and the amazing work they are doing, visit them online at: www.dvnf.org

WWIA has Partnered with Ammo.com!

WWIA is proud to have recently partnered with Ammo.com.  Ammo.com has an outstanding reputation for quality, price, selection, and customer satisfaction. You can find all your ammunition needs at Ammo.com while helping support WWIA and our Purple Heart Heroes at the same time!  When you order from Ammo.com, 1% of your entire purchase will be donated back to WWIA when you select us as your preferred “Freedom Fighter” option from the dropdown menu at checkout. And right now, you can also save 20% off any order of $200 or more!  Simply go to https://ammo.com/wwia-supporter to get started and find out more information. Our sincere thanks to Ammo.com for their support of WWIA and their outstanding patriotism!

Thank You Chippewa River Custom Rod!

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Mr. Tom Schenk of Chippewa River Custom Rods for his exceptional support & generosity. Tom has graciously donated his beautiful custom rods to WWIA throughout the years in support of our Purple Heart Heroes. Click here or go to https://www.crcustomrod.com for more information about his amazing custom rods:

Help WWIA become a 2019 Top-Rated Nonprofit! 

Thank you for helping us become a top-rated nonprofit in 2018! If you haven't shared your own WWIA experience, would you consider leaving us a review to help us continue this honor for 2019? We appreciate your support of WWIA & our Purple Heart Heroes. Click here or go to: https://greatnonprofits.org/org/wounded-warriors-in-action-foundation-inc to share your WWIA story and to read what others have had to say!

Want to learn more about WWIA, visit us on online!