Notes From the Field: September 2018

Photo credit to WWIA Guide Nick Fox for this scenic view from the Inaugural Primitive Outfitters Black Bear & Fishing Event

Notes From the Field: September 2018

September welcomed in the start of the fall season and brought a wide range of hunting and fishing events across the country for our Purple Heart Heroes, including two inaugural events. It was another exceptional month for WWIA fundraising events thanks to our unbelievable family of Hosts, supporters, donors, volunteers, and patriotic communities around the country. Read below to learn about the inclusion of a WWIA Chapter as our new WWIA 'Medal of Honor' Patron for their stellar fundraising efforts throughout the years. Don't forget to check out our September Spotlight Feature and also learn more about our Inaugural WWIA 5K that will be coming up in January. As we enter into the last quarter of the year, we've got plenty of outstanding events coming your way, so stay tuned and in touch for some amazing highlights from our Heroes.

Events and Fundraisers

CFC Season is Here! Help Support WWIA with a Pledge!

Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) season has officially begun! The CFC allows federal employees and retirees to make charitable contributions to a number of eligible charities they personally select by directing a portion of their income or annuitant payments to those non-profits. CFC is the world's largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign and the pledges and contributions received help non-profits like WWIA continue the work we are doing to assist in the healing and restoration of our Heroes. As you look to make your CFC charity designations this season, we would appreciate you considering making a pledge to WWIA and making a direct difference in the lives of our Purple Heart Heroes. Click here to be taken to the CFC Donor Pledge Site. We thank you in advance for your consideration and for your faithful support as you partner with us.

Inaugural Primitive Outfitters Black Bear and Fishing Event

September 5th - 9th

Inaugural Camp Hackett Black Bear Hunt

September 6th - 10th

WWIA was proud to host a new event at Camp Hackett where it all started 11 years ago. The Inaugural Camp Hackett Black Bear Hunt welcomed a Purple Heart Hero to Phillips, Wisconsin to take part in the first official black bear hunt on the property over a 3-day period. This hunt met with the hopeful expectations as our Hero harvested a beautiful black bear, the first ever taken at Camp Hackett. This would not have been possible without the generous donation of a bear tag by a local Wisconsin resident and the tremendous coordination and preparation by Bob Bolz for this event. Our sincere thanks to VFW Post 2687 for their thoughtful donation of $1000 to help support this event.

6th Annual PA Cast & Blast

September 21st - 24th

9th Annual NY Upland Bird and Couples Retreat

September 21st - 24th

Two of our Heroes and their spouses were recently celebrated at the 9th Annual NY Upland Bird Hunt and Couples Retreat. While the men took in some first-class guided pheasant hunting at the Bear Hill Farm and Hunt Club, their spouses were pampered to a spa day and winery tours complete with a chauffeured limousine. Our couples were able to relax, form new friendships, and eat outstanding food during this memorable getaway. These couples were honored by the local community throughout the 4-day event and were even given a motorcycle escort to their farewell dinner by the Patriot Guard Riders of NY. Each couple went home with a cooler full of pheasants and a hand full of recipes to enjoy their harvested birds. We would like to recognize and show our appreciation to Mary Lou Reisdorf and her amazing community of friends, family, volunteers, donors and sponsors for hosting our couples on this outstanding event. Thank you to Uno Pizzeria and Grill, Anthony and Jenny LaSala, Kevin and Barb Heald from Twilight on the Erie RV Resort, and additional thanks to Rick Falcone, John Nolander, and Charles Luffman for donating pheasants for the hunt, Bob Ruller Sr. and Jr. for dog-handling during the hunt, Shawn and Christie Ingram for their tremendous assistance, and to Ken Vowell for his continued support. Special recognition to WWIA Associate Milt Yagel for his dedication and contributions throughout the retreat.

"Just a quick note to thank you so very much for all your work and effort in getting my wife Lara and I to this great event in Rochester. We had an unbelievable time with Ms. Lou and her family and friends. We met them at the airport as strangers and left as best friends."

4th Annual Eagle River Muskie Chal-Lunge

September 28th - 30th

It was an amazing three days for eight of our Heroes who attended the 4th Annual Eagle River Muskie Chal-Lunge. This area is known for its world-class muskie fishing and this trip certainly confirmed that. Our Heroes were welcomed with open arms by the incredible community of Eagle River. They were treated to a wonderful opening ceremony and dinner on their first night where they were honored for their service and sacrifice. Legendary Fishing Hall of Fame Angler, Joe Bucher spent time in each Heroes boat sharing his expertise and providing individual guidance to each of the Heroes and also provided them with bait and tackle from his custom line. WWIA Founder and CEO, John McDaniel was also in attendance to express his appreciation to Host Scott Daniels and the Eagle River community for their patriotism and support of our combat-wounded, and he was honored to spend time getting to know the Heroes and sharing in some muskie fishing with them the following day. Although the weather was a bit cold as our Heroes hit the water, our Guides and Heroes were up to the task, bringing in some beautiful and sizeable trophy muskie. This event was memorable not just for the fishing but more importantly because of the relationships formed between these fellow Heroes and everyone who reached out from the local community to show their appreciation and care. Special thanks to all of the incredible sponsors! There were so many humbling and thoughtful gifts from individuals, businesses, and organizations to help support this event. Please be sure to see our sponsor appreciation section below to view a complete list of those who graciously gave to make this trip possible for our Heroes. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the extraordinary fishing guides that skillfully led our Heroes. Special recognition and thanks to Host Scott Samuels for improving this spectacular event every year. Your efforts and dedication are truly appreciated. We would like to sincerely thank Eagle Waters Resort for their outstanding hospitality and kindness in providing first-class lodging for our Warriors. High appreciation to WWIA Guides Jon French and Derek Duplisea for their coordination and care throughout this excursion.

"First, I would like to thank everyone that participated in this event a hardy thank you. The experience for me wasn’t about fishing, it was about spending time with other veterans and sharing good conversation. I must say Bob Jacobs was a great person to spend the day and evening with. We talked a lot and for me, I made a new friend, that was important. Scott, the Host was fantastic. From the dinners to the awards, he did a great job, thank you. I spent some quality time talking to other Warriors at night, we all share an unbreakable bond with our military experience. Life is all about people, spending quality time with family and friends. Add some warm weather, it would have been perfect. Thank you again to everyone who volunteered their time to add a great experience for a Vietnam Veteran."

4th Annual WWIA Wisconsin Golf Tournament

September 1

The 4th Annual WWIA Wisconsin Golf Tournament at Botten's Green Acres was another incredible success raising an impressive total of $11,875 to support the 6th Annual Bayfield Cast & Blast Event! Special thanks to Dan, Nancy, and Brad Bourassa for their incredible dedication in organizing this fundraiser, to Brad & Jodi Botten and family for their huge contributions to help WWIA and also to their wonderful employees Heather Coryell Burggaller, Allison Melde, Robbie Blair and Maureen McGarth for their outstanding work! Additional thanks to Mara Magnavite, Jayda Klobucher, Karen Lawler and Jimmy Klobucher for keeping an eye on hole #3 to see if anyone got a hole in one! Steven Schaefers, thank you for asking and collecting a number of door prizes and sponsorships for WWIA, as well as your own generous donation. Thank you to Lorie Heule for helping with the silent auction, selling t-shirts and anything else we needed to be done! Special recognition and appreciation to Scott Orville for making and donating a portable bow hunting blind to be used for hunters with disabilities and to Liquor in the Woods for their continued support and another generous donation in support of our Heroes! Thank you to all of the amazing individuals and businesses that graciously sponsored a hole, gave a door prize or an auction item. Lastly, our sincere gratitude and thanks to everyone that came out to help support WWIA through your participation in the tournament or through the silent auction. What an amazing community of supporters!

2018 WWIA Big Bass Event at Wolfe Creek on Grand Lake​

September 16th

Thanks to everyone who came out to support the 2018 Wounded Warriors in Action Big Bass Benefit Tournament by 5 Fish Productions, LLC. It proved to be another great tournament this year. Wolfe Creek on Grand Lake, OK was a great venue to come out and show support for WWIA and the Purple Heart Heroes who have sacrificed so much on our behalf. There were thousands of dollars in cash and prizes. A 4.37-pound bass was big enough to win a camper trailer provided courtesy of Wade's RV in Glenpool, Oklahoma. The participant who landed a 3.81-pound bass went home with a golf cart provided by Golf Cars of Tulsa. There were countless other prizes awarded throughout the day thanks to so many incredible sponsors. There was a trailer load of donated items available during the WWIA Auction with 100% of the proceeds going directly back to the Foundation. Thank you to everyone who purchased items during this year's auction. A big shout out to all the volunteers and sponsors who came out, set up booths, donated money, prizes, and took time to make this tournament a success. Special recognition to Lifetime Transmissions, Allen Technologies, WPX Energy, and The Hinson Family Charitable Fund for being our four weigh-in sponsors. Thank you to Brent Salt and the entire 5 Fish Productions Team for their coordination in running this event and for their continued support of WWIA and our Heroes.

The 28th Annual Tuddy Golf Tournament

September 21

We would like to express our gratitude to everyone that participated in the 2018 Tuddy Golf Tournament in Oshkosh, WI. This was the 28th year of this outstanding event and although the winds and weather made the tournament a bit more challenging this year, it didn't deter our players from having a great time for a great cause. WWIA was honored to be the recipient of the tournament proceeds. Our sincere appreciation to Hartford VFW Post 8834 for their generous $1,000 donation, and our gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Daun for their exceptional coordination of this event. Finally, a HUGE thank you to everyone who attended, sponsored, contributed, and participated in this event for your exceptional support and your commitment to helping us honor, connect and heal every Purple Heart Hero.

The 6th Annual WWIA Southern Vermont Chapter Banquet Dinner Fundraiser

September 22

We would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the WWIA Southern Vermont Chapter for their incredible donation of $62,636.00 raised from their 6th Annual Banquet Dinner. This is a record-setting amount for the Southern Vermont Chapter who continue to raise the bar every year through the generosity and dedication of their patriotic community. With this year's stellar fundraising effort, the Southern Vermont Chapter has now become a WWIA Medal of Honor Patron. This achievement is given to those who have raised over $150,000 collectively in support of WWIA. What an amazing accomplishment!  A HUGE THANK YOU to Mike and Debbie Davenport for their tremendous work and coordination in making these annual fundraisers so successful. In addition, we would like to thank all of this year's sponsors, donors and attendees for going above and beyond to support WWIA and our Purple Heart Heroes!

The Inaugural WWIA 5K is Coming! 

Tampa Bay, get ready for the WWIA 5K! Join us on Saturday, January 12, 2019. This timed 5K offers you the choice to run, walk, or stroll through beautiful Al Lopez Park. Our race is professionally timed and the Overall Top Male and Female finishers will receive prizes. Top Male and Top Female finishers in each age category will also be acknowledged. Every finisher registered before December 14, 2019 will receive a race shirt and finisher's medal. Stay for our after-party featuring adult beverages provided by Bootleggers Brewing Company, ice cream, awards, and more! Discounted registration is available for Veterans who show their Military ID or Drivers License with a "V" symbol at packet pickup with Promo Code VET20. Purple Heart recipients will be able to participate free with registration to WWIA by using Promo Code PHFREE. Visit https://wwiaf.org/heroapplication/ and complete all three steps at the top of the page. Proceeds benefit the WWIA.

WWIA September Spotlight 

We are honored to feature Dr. Keith G. Tidball as our September Spotlight Feature. Dr. Tidball serves as WWIA's Science Advisor and proudly hosts the annual Kuneytown FLX Ducks & Bucks Event which will be celebrating their 5th year this November. Dr. Tidball is an anthro-ecologist working in the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University, where he focuses on the dynamics of natural resource management in the context of disasters and war. Experiences in the military and in the field of international disaster response and relief inform his unique brand of applied scholarship, including stints throughout Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Tidball's doctoral work focused on the role of community-based natural resource management in Post-Katrina resilience of New Orleans, and he continues to work in post-disaster contexts, as well as in disaster readiness, resilience, and response. He also studies how outdoor recreation contributes to and enhances resilience and recovery for returning combatants. He lives with his family on their farm overlooking Cayuga Lake in upstate New York, where he enjoys hunting, fishing, and working the land.

How did you first get involved with WWIA?  Many years ago, when WWIA was basically John and his dog, he conducted a Veteran’s Day hunt at Whispering Pines Shooting Preserve in Central New York.  My colleague Eric Riegel and I were simultaneously conducting a youth hunt in celebration of Veteran’s Day.  We saw the logos on John’s pick-up and the four Purple Heart Heroes, and I approached John about what he was doing.  He was very gracious, and we arranged for our youth hunters to meet the heroes and thank them for their service. This was done in the field, with unloaded shotguns over shoulders, and pheasants bagged on gamestraps, and made a huge impression on the youth, and on we the adult chaperones. John and I exchanged business cards, and have been partnering ever since, about 10 years.  For the first five years, I served as the Science Advisor for WWIA, and witnessed a number of successful programs.  I was inspired by these events and 5 years ago decided to attempt to host our own event in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate NY. 
 
Why do you choose to Host WWIA events?  As a veteran dealing with my own history, traumas, and regrets, I have experienced personally the healing and therapeutic value of outdoor recreation and camaraderie in the pursuit of fish and game. It is an extraordinarily fulfilling thing to share the landscapes and pursuits that I know are full of healing with those that want it, and can use it. I also do it because I see how valuable it is to my support team, many of whom are very patriotic but have not served in the military themselves .
 
What has been the biggest benefit of hosting WWIA Events?  The biggest benefit is the life-long relationships built between members of our community, our sportsmen’s club, and those heroes we are able to serve.  These folks become life members of our club, and many come back to hunt, fish, or just vacation, which is exactly the kind of connection/reconnection we seeking to facilitate. 
 
You have an incredibly patriotic community who work together to selflessly support our Heroes. How have you been able to galvanize such tremendous support of donors, volunteers, and supporters over the years?   The biggest key is having a core of 3-4 people that have the vision and are inspired to move mountains to accomplish the WWIA mission. Those individuals help with assembling a second layer of supporting individuals, who catch the spirit over time.  An important ingredient is recognition and maximizing opportunities to create and nurture esprit de corps. Coining rituals and team uniforms go a long way in this regard.
 
What would you say to others who are considering getting involved with WWIA as a Host or in another capacity?  If you care about the outdoors, if you know that hunting and fishing are pathways to peace and tranquility, and you want to give back to our men and women in uniform who have bled for their country, for our right to public lands and public fish and wildlife, then you owe it to yourself to get involved with WWIA .

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!

**Well-Bohn Charitable Fund Grant $2,000**

**Debbie Gruber- $1,173.75 via V-Dac/CARS Donation**

**Mindy McDonald- $918.75 via V-Dac/CARS Donation**

**Kevin Mahaney with the support of Sun Valley Campsites- $2,500 in support of the upcoming 2019 Inaugural Naples NY VFW Big Buck Hunt**

4th Eagle River Muskie Chal-Lunge Sponsors: 
*Premier Powersports & Marine $800   *VFW Post 8637 $800  *American Legion Post 114 $800
*CR Meyer $700  *Appraisal Associates $500  *The Nutty Squirrel $500
Eagle River Guides Association $500  *Eagle River Rotary Club $600  *Edwin Pleus $225
*Immaculate Conception Church $1,682  *Gremban & Gremban Dental $300
*Headwaters Chapter of Muskies Inc $500  *Hessenjaeger Wirehairs LLC $500
*Peoples State Bank $500  *Sweetwaters Spirits & Resort $500  *Parsons of Eagle River $500
*Eagle River Lions Club $600  *Three Lakes Fish & Wildlife Improvement Association $500

Help Us Tell Others About WWIA!

Would you consider representing WWIA at a CFC event in your local geographic area? Our nation's great federal employees (military & civilian) represent our single largest source of funding for our Heroes. If you're interested, you can find information on upcoming events where we could use your representation pinned to our Facebook page. Then, simply email us at info@wwiaf.org or message us on Facebook. Thank you for your support!

Thank You Fisher House for Your Exceptional Support!