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Photo credit to WWIA Guide Crystal Masek for this beautiful scene from the 5th Annual AK Halibut Fishing Event
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Notes From the Field: June/July 2018
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Welcome to the WWIA Summer Edition newsletter! In this issue, we will cover all of the exciting news and events from June and July. It's been a great start to the summer, with lots of opportunities for our Heroes to get outside and connect with nature and their fellow Purple Heart recipients. In addition, our faithful WWIA family of supporters have gone above and beyond with some incredible fundraisers and generous gifts this season. Be sure to check out our monthly spotlight interview below to see how one of our amazing Hosts takes Heroes into the "Last Frontier" for some memorable and epic adventures. We also recently kicked off our "100 Purple Hearts" campaign to help us raise support for one-hundred of our brave Warriors. Click on the link here or in the article below for informative videos and updates about how you can partner with us in this initiative. As we turn the corner into the second half of the year, we take time to celebrate what an outstanding first half of 2018 it has been so far. We sincerely thank all of you for your faithfulness and dedication in helping us serve our Purple Heart Heroes!
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100 Purple Hearts Fundraiser
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Your help is needed to send 100 Purple Heart Heroes on all-expense-paid, world-class outdoor sporting events to facilitate healing and restoration in their lives. Let's give back to those who have given so much! Please consider a donation for our Heroes today and be sure to share this post with your friends and family. To learn more about this initiative and how you can help support our 100 Purple Heart Heroes, click here. To all of our friends, families, supporters, and caring communities, we sincerely THANK YOU for your generosity in standing with us!
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3rd Annual MO-KAN Catfishing Event
June 8th - 11th
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Team MO-KAN continued their tradition of exceeding expectations as they hosted three Purple Heart Heroes at the 3rd Annual MO-KAN Catfishing Event. Although the weather was unusually hot and the river was at higher water levels than normal this year, it did not deter our Heroes from catching loads of fish throughout the four-day event. The camaraderie and bonds formed amongst our Heroes on the water and around the dinner table were obvious and impactful. The community of volunteers, donors, guides, and supporters that make up Team MO-KAN are second to none, and every year they go above and beyond to welcome and honor our Heroes with exciting and memorable world-class events. Our sincere thanks to Host Brian Roderick and all of Team MO-KAN for their outstanding efforts and contributions. Additional appreciation to Napier Hunt Club for providing food and housing to our Heroes, and also to WWIA Guide Tyson Scott for his support and leadership throughout the event.
" This event has been a life-changing experience. I have had a rough transition into civilian life and the MO-KAN trip was exactly what I needed. I would like to thank everyone that was involved with this event. The outdoors is a great place to escape and enjoy yourself. I enjoyed the conversation with other Wounded Warriors and all the guys that took us out fishing and everyone at the club. Everyone was great, and I can’t thank you all enough. "
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4th Annual Galveston Fishing Event
June 8th - 11th
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Four of our Heroes gathered in beautiful Galveston, TX for the 4th Annual Galveston Fishing Event. The connection, camaraderie, fishing, and food throughout this event were simply amazing. Our Heroes experienced a combination of inshore and offshore fishing and then returned in the evenings to outstanding home-cooked meals and some relaxing downtime and fellowship with their fellow Purple Heart brother. We would like to express our gratitude and thanks to Hosts Brad and Julie Boisen for their outstanding hospitality and graciousness toward our Heroes and for putting on another top-tier event. Additionally, we would like to thank WWIA Guide Nate Allen for his care and contributions throughout this four-day event.
"Wounded Warriors in Action is an organization truly dedicated to helping heal warrior’s souls. From the first time they reached out until the end of our trip everything was taken care of, easy, and well organized. They allowed us to focus on being part of an amazing experience with some of the best people I’ve ever met, that I plan to stay in contact with in the future. Hearing everyone’s stories and realizing that you aren’t alone, everyone is experiencing a lot of the same struggles and stressors, and emotions and how they deal with them. In addition to the foundation, who I think really does save lives by uniting injured service members and helping them connect to nature, I would like to thank; Our gracious host, Mr and Mrs Boisen, who showed continuous gratitude and left you wanting for nothing; and our guide Nathan Allen, who was very knowledgeable on the outdoors and helped keep conversations moving. The memories and experience shared will last a lifetime. Words cannot possibly express how grateful I am for this opportunity and everyone involved. Thank you and Semper Fi!"
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6th Annual Alabama Inshore/Offshore Fishing Event
June 21st - 24th
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Five of our Heroes descended upon Dauphin Island, Alabama to kick off the 6th Annual AL Inshore/Offshore Fishing Event. The first day on the water found our Heroes chasing monster bull redfish around and enjoying an afternoon full of catch and release. Our Heroes returned home for a great home-cooked meal, some downtime in the pool, and bonding among brothers while playing games outside in the evening. The second day on the water took our Heroes out into the plentiful waters of the gulf to fish for Red Snapper. It was an awesome day on the water, with great weather, music, and high numbers of snapper caught by all. Afterward, our Heroes were treated to a delicious prime rib dinner and presented with WWIA challenge coins. This was an amazing getaway that facilitated some much-needed healing and camaraderie for our Heroes. High praise and appreciation to Hosts Ritchie Russell, Ira Everett, and their outstanding community of friends and supporters for putting on another top-notch event for our brave Warriors! We would also like to express our gratitude to WWIA Guides Nate Allen and Mark Broda for their attention and care throughout this event.
" I want to thank WWIA so much for this event. It did more for me than anything has in a long time. I was able to enjoy the outdoors again. For years I have been isolated and not doing the things I love in life. This event will stay with me to help me along my journey. Nate and Mark did an amazing job, without them this weekend the event could not have happened or went the way it did. What you all are doing for vets makes me proud to serve this great country. Your organization went above and beyond my expectations. Thank you for also having Joe and Ryan on this event, they are great guys who I enjoyed my time with. I also enjoyed my time with the hosts of this event Ira, Ritchie, Mark, Keith, Joseph, and Porter." |
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6th Annual Alaska Halibut Fishing Event
June 22nd - 27th
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Host John Moline and the amazing community of Seward, Alaska welcomed five of our Purple Heart Heroes for a memorable adventure in the Last Frontier! Our Heroes were blessed with five days of beautiful weather taking in scenic vistas, observing native wildlife, and doing some world-class fishing. There were plenty of great catches, with one of our Heroes (Crystal) landing a 106.8-pound halibut, the largest catch in the last 5 years of this event. Our team also reached their daily limit of rockfish. Our Warriors were honored with a Taco Tuesday dinner at the local American Legion and were thanked and appreciated everywhere they went by a grateful community. The food, sights, camaraderie, and friendships made during this trip will be cherished for many years to come. Our sincere thanks to the American Legion Post 5, the Sons of the American Legion, and the American Legion Auxilliary for their faithful support. Additional appreciation and gratitude to Elle Zernia, from Captain Jack’s Seafood Locker, for packaging, freezing and boxing the Heroes catches to take home. Special thanks to John Moline (Current Affair Charters) and friends for another fantastic event, and also to WWIA Guides Jonah Liddell and Crystal Masek for their outstanding assistance.
"I wanted to say thank you very much to both Wounded Warriors in Action and Hosts, John and Becky. What an unbelievable experience this was. It was a very comfortable and very well coordinated trip thanks to Corrina and Joe Liddell. Everyone was extremely helpful and professional. Such an amazing crew! I will never forget this trip, not only because of the great fishing, hospitality, and scenery but the camaraderie, conversations and the obvious gratitude to disabled veterans. This organization makes it very clear that we are not fighting our battles alone. Thank you very much Wounded Warriors in Action and John Moline."
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2nd Annual Wisconsin Summer Musky Event
July 12th - 14th
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Three of our Heroes recently gathered in Mosinee, WI for the 2nd Annual WI Summer Musky event. Some of the best musky fishing in the world can be found in Wisconsin, and this event certainly lived up to that fact. Our Heroes caught some outstanding musky along with a variety of other fish. As exceptional as the fishing was on this trip, the camaraderie and bonds formed between Heroes were even better. It is with tremendous gratitude that we thank Todd and Dawn Bohm for proudly hosting our Heroes and for their faithful support of WWIA. Special thanks to Stoney Creek Hotel for their generosity throughout the years. We would also like to recognize and thank all of the volunteers and supporters who made this event possible. High praise to WWIA Guide Derek VanBuren for his care and dedication throughout the event.
"George and I have been on so many trips together with several different organizations. I have to say this fishing trip is at the top of the list. The Host and everyone involved have been outstanding! The boaters were fantastic and deserve a huge thank you for donating their time and equipment. A thank you is also given to the families of everyone involved in this chance of a lifetime, as they sacrificed time from their loved ones in order to give us another stepping stone in our healing. Every aspect of this trip for us was very thought out and planned so we would have an exciting and healing trip! Thank you to everyone and we hope we can experience another trip with you."
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HotSpring Spas of Music City Fundraiser
May 14-28
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Our sincere thanks and gratitude to HotSpring Spas of Music City for their recent donation of $3,300 to WWIA. HotSpring Spas ran a special 'Memorial Day' sale the last half of May and contributed $100 from every spa sold during that time frame (33 sold in all) to support WWIA and our Purple Heart Heroes! HotSpring Spas is making this donation to honor the memory of Colonel (Retired) Mark Forman. Thank you HotSpring Spas of Music City and owner Kevin Croteau for faithfully supporting WWIA and our Purple Heart Heroes!
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Tobyhanna Army Depot Fundraiser
June 20
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We would like to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude to the C3 Division of C4ISR Directorate of Tobyhanna Army Depot for their tremendous support of WWIA and our Purple Heart Heroes. They recently held their annual picnic and supervisor dunk and used the proceeds raised from the dunk tank to support a charity. We are honored that the division chose WWIA to be this year’s recipient. They donated a total of $885.00 to WWIA and are making this outstanding contribution in the name of one of the division’s family members (LT. Col. Robert Lee Ockerman, US Air Force, Vietnam Veteran). Thank you to the C3 Division of C4ISR Directorate and Tobyhanna Army Depot for this incredibly generous gift.
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The Spur Festival Fundraiser
June 23
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The Spur Festival in Darrington, WA was a HUGE success thanks to the enormous efforts of Martin House, all of his wonderful friends and family, and the Country Music fans who make this festival so great! We at WWIA cannot thank Martin House enough for inviting us in and allowing the fundraising dollars to benefit all of our Purple Heart Recipients across this great country. With the tremendous support of these patriotic attendees we were able to raise $3,250.00! Thank you for your outstanding support!
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Waterloo American Legion Riders Post 435 Fundraiser
July 5
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Our highest gratitude and appreciation to the Waterloo American Legion Post 435 for their incredibly generous donation of $4,300 to WWIA. This money will be used toward WWIA events in that local region of New York and was raised to honor the memory of Bob Plate. Bob was a proud Air Force veteran, an active Patriot Guard Rider, as well as the Commander of the Seneca Falls American Legion up until the time of his passing. Thank you Waterloo American Legion Post 435 for your support and dedication to our combat-wounded veterans. We appreciate you standing with us to bring honor, connection, and healing to every Purple Heart Hero!
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This month, we are honored to introduce you to WWIA Alaska Halibut Fishing Host John Moline. John is a Navy veteran having proudly served from 1980 to 1992, and also served briefly in the Army Reserves. John first came to Alaska in 1990 through his service assignment and quickly came to love the beauty and people of the Last Frontier. John currently operates a fishing and sightseeing charter service and a bed and breakfast out of Seward, Alaska. For more information, you can find John at www.currentaffaircharters.com
How did you first get involved with WWIA?
I was in Bruce, Wisconsin in 2013 when I met a gentleman named Tom Schenk (Chippewa River Custom Rods) who handed me a WWIA business card and told me I should check out the great things the Foundation is doing to support Purple Heart veterans through the use of the Great Outdoors. I returned home to Alaska and after researching WWIA decided that I would love to partner with them to serve our Heroes. I contacted John McDaniel about hosting an event and now we have completed our 5th year of welcoming Heroes to Alaska.
Why do you choose to Host a WWIA event?
I have a deep respect for our Heroes and believe that they deserve to be honored for their tremendous service and sacrifice. I have always understood the power of nature and wanted to help get these brave men and women involved in outdoor activities again. I saw a unique opportunity to work together with WWIA to put these Heroes in an environment that facilitates change and with other Heroes who can help support them in their recovery and healing. We also have an amazing community of people here who are passionate about supporting our combat-wounded veterans and honoring them for all they have given.
What has been the biggest benefit of hosting WWIA Events?
One of the most amazing benefits I have witnessed is seeing the changes that occur in our Heroes as a result of these events. Many of the Heroes come into the event guarded and unsure what to expect. Typically, after the second day, you can literally see an emotional change in their physical presence, in their eyes, as they begin to relax and understand that they are among brothers and sisters who have shared similar experiences, and who truly understand where they are at and what they are going through. This beauty of the Alaskan landscape and the wildlife here also helps put the heart and minds of our Heroes at ease as they are able to escape the worries of everyday life for a while and simply enjoy themselves. There is so much to see and appreciate here, and we love the opportunity to share the local history, introduce these Heroes to the treasures this place offers. There is something special about taking them to a glacier, watching them catch a monster salmon or halibut, or seeing whales in the wild. The Heroes get a lot out of these experiences, but so do we. It's an honor and privilege to be a part of it.
What have been some of the positive effects you have seen in the lives of Heroes that have attended your events?
These Heroes typically show up with deep emotional and physical pain and seeing the difference in them from the time they first arrive versus when it is time for them to leave our event is simply amazing. We take our Heroes to a dinner hosted by the local American Legion Post 5, the Sons of the American Legion, and the American Legion Auxilliary where they are treated like family and honored for their service and sacrifice. Once they understand that people genuinely appreciate them and care, it changes their perspective. Taking them for meals around town and allowing them to see first-hand a caring community coupled with the fishing and sightseeing really allows these Heroes to relax and enjoy themselves. It makes a real difference. I remember one testimonial from a Hero who stated that not only was it the trip of a lifetime, but that in addition to the fish, they had also caught lifelong friends! That's what these events are all about.
What would you say to others who are considering getting involved with WWIA as a Host or in another capacity?
I have met some of my dearest friends by getting involved with WWIA. I spend eighty days on the water a year and to take five of those days for our Heroes is a small give! There is nothing quite like being able to volunteer and make a difference in the lives of others.
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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!
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Our sincere thanks and appreciation to Fort Myer Thrift Shop for their generous donation of $4,000 to benefit WWIA events in VA and MD. Thank you and your staff for your outstanding support, patriotism, and dedication to WWIA and our Purple Heart Heroes throughout the years.
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We would like to recognize and thank CAE USA for their generous donation of $1,000 to WWIA. We truly appreciate your dedication and support of our military and to our Purple Heart Heroes.
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We would like to express our sincere appreciation and thanks to President Electronics for their generosity and support of WWIA and our Purple Heart Heroes. President Electronics recently donated four of their top-rated Citizen Band (CB) Radios and one antenna to WWIA. These CB radios will be used for fundraising, recognition, and awareness in sharing the mission and message of WWIA with others. Thank you President Electronics for your outstanding patriotism and commitment to WWIA and our combat-wounded veterans. To learn more about President Electronics and their products, visit them at www.president-electronics.us
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WWIA's own Corrina Hart recently had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Stitch Mitchell, the host of the Classic Country KXA Morning Show about the mission and message of WWIA. Click here to listen and be sure to share this with others to help them learn how we are serving our nation's Purple Heart Heroes.
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Shop and Support WWIA at the Same Time!
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Did you know that when you shop on Amazon.com you can help support WWIA at the same time? Simply click on this link (smile.amazon.com/ch/26-0718304) and confirm that you would like to support WWIA through their AmazonSmiles program. Save that link to your browser or desktop and whenever you are ready to shop on Amazon a portion of your purchases will be designated to help support WWIA and our Purple Heart Heroes! It's that simple and every bit helps to bring healing and restoration to our Heroes. Thank you!
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WWIA Earns Top-Rated Nonprofit for 2018!
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WWIA is honored to have been rated a top-rated nonprofit in 2018! Thank you to everyone who took time to share your experience and feedback to help us achieve this wonderful honor. If you haven't shared your own WWIA experience, would you consider leaving us a review? Click on the following link to share your WWIA story and to read what others have had to say. https://greatnonprofits.org/org/wounded-warriors-in-action-foundation-inc We appreciate your support of WWIA & our Purple Heart Heroes!
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Want to learn more about WWIA, visit us on online!
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Our website is full of information about who we are, how we serve our Purple Heart Heroes, and how you can get involved! Visit us today! Click Here!
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