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NOTES FROM THE FIELD: SEPTEMBER 2019
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A scenic view from the 2nd Annual Primitive Outfitters Black Bear & Fishing Event.
Photo courtesy of WWIA Guide Derek VanBuren.
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Notes From the Field: September 2019
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September welcomed the start of the fall season and brought a wide range of hunting and fishing events across the country, including an inaugural event and another celebrating their 10th year of serving our Purple Heart Heroes! It was also an exceptional month for WWIA fundraising events thanks to our unbelievable family of Hosts, supporters, donors, volunteers, and patriotic communities around the country. The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) has also officially begun and we hope you will consider a pledge to WWIA as you make your selections. Thank you to everyone for your generosity and support and stay tuned for more exciting news and events coming soon!
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CFC Season is Here! Help Support WWIA with a Pledge!
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Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) season has officially begun! 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. Your 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.
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2nd Annual Primitive Outfitters Fall Black Bear and Fishing Combo
September 4-8 Weston, ME
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Four of our Purple Heart Heroes traveled to Weston, Maine for the 2nd Annual Primitive Outfitters Black Bear and Fishing Event. This presented an exciting opportunity for our Heroes to hunt and fish over five days in the pristine wilderness of Maine. Our Heroes enjoyed fishing on the Mattawamkeag River and Grand Lake in the mornings and bear hunting in the afternoons. This event provided an exceptional environment not just for hunting and fishing, but also for our Heroes to relax, share, and connect with one another. We would like to recognize and thank Hosts Daniel and Katie White for putting on another first-class event. We would also like to thank the gracious community and friends of Daniel and Katie for their tremendous support in making this event possible for our Heroes. Additional recognition and appreciation to WWIA Guide Derek VanBuren for his outstanding assistance throughout this trip.
"This has been a great hunt. A big thank you to WWIA for all the hard work getting me to this hunt. Daniel and Katie went above and beyond. They really made me feel like family. God Bless You."
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5th Annual Eagle River Muskie Chal-Lunge
September 12-15 Eagle River, WI
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It was an amazing four days for eight of our Heroes who attended the 5th Annual Eagle River Muskie Chal-Lunge. Our Heroes were once again honored and welcomed with open arms by the incredible community of Eagle River. Our Warriors had an amazing time on the water catching world-class muskie and northern pike while getting to know one another. They were grateful to spend some time with legendary Fishing Hall of Fame Angler Joe Bucher who worked with each one of them in their boats, passing along his sage advice. When they weren't on the water, they were enjoying delicious dinners and outstanding company. 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. St. Croix Rods presented each Hero with a beautiful custom rod, while the Immaculate Conception Church provided each of our Heroes with top-tier fishing reels to complete their gear setup. The Northwoods Quilters honored our Heroes by creating gorgeous quilts for them. St. Peter the Fisherman Church sponsored a delicious lunch for the Warriors and Guides, as did the All American Kids Club of Northland Pines School. These are just a few examples of the many incredible sponsors, individuals, businesses, and organizations that graciously rally around and make this event possible. We are humbled by their collective efforts. There are far too many to thank and recognize, but you can find a list of our amazing event sponsors and supporters here. We also owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the extraordinary fishing guides that skillfully led our Heroes: Jay "Prime Time" Hollnagel, "Lunker " Louie Dreger, Bill Jacobs, "Musky" Bob Jacobs, "Jammin" Justin Reynolds, Lou "Dowtown" Mirek, Brent Kiedrowski, Chas Martin, Andy Hendrickson. Special recognition and thanks to Hosts Scott Samuels and Bill Jacobs for constantly raising the bar on this incredible event. We would like to sincerely thank Eagle Waters Resort for their outstanding hospitality and kindness. Additional thanks to the Vilas County News-Review and to WJFW News Watch 12 for their coverage of the event. High appreciation goes to WWIA Guide Derek Duplisea for his coordination and care throughout this excursion.
"This event was life-changing. From the initial contact to meeting Derek at the airport, he was extremely fun and helpful. I was at first reluctant about going at all. To be honest, because I did not feel I was any more deserving and also, I am reluctant to meet new people. However, after attending and working with all of these wonderful people at Eagle River, Scott, Chas, Joe, Dan, and all the other veterans and sponsors, I truly feel blessed and appreciate WWIA for this event and all you do for our combat-wounded veterans. As the National Junior Vice Commander of the MOPH, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I don’t consider myself a Hero, but I sure met a bunch out here on this event."
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Inaugural New Hampshire Black Bear and Bass Combo
September 12-16 Grafton, NH
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WWIA was proud to introduce the Inaugural New Hampshire Bear and Bass Event into the fall lineup. Host Roy Holland and friends welcomed three of our Heroes to Grafton, NH for an ideal combination of relaxation and adventure over five days. The pristine wilderness provided our Heroes with outstanding opportunities as they were able to harvest two bears on the very first day. They also enjoyed time on the water and a four-wheeling trip to an old quartz mine. This event truly epitomized the meaning of "getting away" from the hustle of everyday life and allowed these Warriors space and time they needed to connect, recharge, and form bonds with their brothers. Our Heroes left New Hampshire with gratitude, new friendships, and coolers with nearly 30 pounds of bear meat! We would like to express our sincere appreciation to Roy Holland and his phenomenal friends and supporters for making this inaugural event so successful and special. Additional recognition and thanks to WWIA Guide Derrick Oursler for his assistance and attention to our Heroes.
"Roy “kind of a big deal” Holland and the men who put on this hunt of a lifetime here in New Hampshire for Black Bear and Bass fishing made a dream come true for me. Not one dull moment, we laughed nonstop! Best time ever. This is truly a place that made me feel like I have been a part of the family and not once did I feel like a black sheep. Nothing but praise and smiles from here. The biggest smile of my hunting life is this black bear. Thank you all so very much! Forever memories and lifelong friends. Thanks to WWIA! Just Awesome!"
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7th Annual PA Cast & Blast
September 19-23 Rebersburg, PA
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Eight of our Heroes gathered in Rebersburg, PA for the 7th Annual Central PA Cast & Blast. This stellar event provided the opportunity for our Heroes to take in some amazing bird shooting and spectacular trout fishing while connecting with fellow Purple Heart recipients over four days. The first day started with a firearms familiarization course and trap shooting, as well as fly rod casting instruction. Our Heroes thoroughly enjoyed their time in the field and on the water, with plenty of harvested birds and fish to take home. Another highlight was spending time at a modified gravel pit outdoor shooting range as they targeted a 10, 25, and 50-yard course. This event also featured a delicious cookout of crabcakes and steak courtesy of Courtney Confer with great music provided on Saturday night by Sgt. Bob and on Sunday evening by Matt Miskie. Each night there was time to relax around the campfire while sharing stories and bonding with one another. Our Heroes were also treated to a wildlife tour at Penn's Cave where their tour guide Alexis (a 6-year Air Force veteran) had great conversation and shared her knowledge of the animals throughout the park (elk, whitetail deer, mountain lion, coyote, wolves, and more). Special thanks to the Schleiden Family for making this unique tour available as well as for providing our Heroes with frozen Bison meat to take home. This is truly a community event and our Heroes were honored and revered throughout their stay for their tremendous service and sacrifice to our country. This event would not have been possible were it not for the generosity and support of the businesses and donors of the Centre Region. Special thanks to Bill, Greg, and John Cain for sharing their culinary expertise, to B.P.O Elks Lodge No.1600, to Collegiate Pride for the incredible shirts, to Nittany Beverage, Stroh's Brewing, W.R. Hickey & Sons, and Dietz & Watson for their contributions and continued dedication. High recognition and appreciation to Gravel Spring Lodge, Sandy Deveney, and his exemplary team for hosting our amazing Heroes. High praise to WWIA Guide Jake Whipkey for his outstanding support throughout this event.
"I signed up to serve without expecting anything in return, but what you patriots are doing for our wounded veterans is amazing. I haven't had this much fun in a long time. Thank you for your generosity, friendship, and genuine appreciation for our military."
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10th Annual NY Upland Bird Hunt and Couples Retreat
September 27-30 Palmyra, NY
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Three of our Heroes and their spouses were recently celebrated at the 10th Annual NY Upland Bird Hunt and Couples Retreat. The first morning had the men take in some first-class guided pheasant hunting at the Bear Hill Farm and Hunt Club while their spouses enjoyed winery tours complete with a chauffeured limousine. Our couples had time to relax, form new friendships, and eat outstanding food during this memorable four-day getaway. These couples were honored by the local community throughout this 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, volunteers, donors and sponsors for hosting our couples on this outstanding event. We would like to also thank the following individuals and businesses for their tremendous dedication and support: Uno Pizzeria and Grill, David Merow, Guy Slack and the Inland Waters Trap League, Kim Wyman of Harv's Harley- Davidson, Anthony and Jenny LaSala, Kevin and Barb Heald from Twilight on the Erie RV Resort, Joe Mestrik, Matt Barnes, John Koska, Bruce Ross, Jamie Linder, John Nolander, Charles Luffman (donating pheasants for the hunt), Shawn and Christie Ingram, Rick Calhoun, and Ken Vowell. Special recognition to WWIA Associate Milt Yagel for his dedication and contributions throughout the retreat.
"This has been the most humbling and amazing experience. Getting to meet such amazing people who support the veterans and their families. Thank you is not enough!"
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WWIA Southern Vermont Chapter Banquet Dinner Fundraiser
September 21, Bennington, VT
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The 2019 WWIA Southern Vermont Chapter Annual Banquet Dinner was recently held in Bennington, Vermont and featured a top-tier auction, incredible raffle prizes, and an outstanding dinner. This highly anticipated annual event is always full of fellowship and fun while helping to raise support and awareness for WWIA and our Purple Heart Heroes. This year, through the generosity and efforts of all those involved, they raised a total of $58,598.13! The Southern Vermont Chapter is a WWIA Medal of Honor decorated patron, having collectively raised over $279,000 in support of our Heroes since 2013! Our sincere thanks and appreciation to Mike and Debi Davenport for their stellar coordination and leadership, to all of the generous sponsors, the phenomenal volunteers who work hard to make this event so successful, and to the patriotic community patrons that have embraced and supported this incredible fundraising initiative year after year. We are humbled and amazed by your support!
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29th Annual Tuddy Golf Tournament
September 13, Oshkosh, WI
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We would like to express our gratitude to everyone that participated in the 2019 Tuddy Golf Tournament at the Oshkosh Country Club in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. This was the 29th year of this outstanding event and it was a beautiful day for hitting the greens with good friends for a great cause. WWIA was honored to be the recipient of the tournament proceeds and grateful for the $2,235 raised on behalf of our Heroes. Special thanks to Jeff Daun, Mike and Pete Faust, Timothy Macht, Ben Scharpf, Sonja Stilp, Amy Mosling, Colonel Bob, Jeffrey Stewart and Reed Widen of Widen Enterprises, Inc. 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.
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Walk or Ride for Veterans in Honor of Dylan Dohr Fundraiser
September 28, Clintonville, WI
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The 2019 Walk or Ride for Veterans event remembering and honoring the life of Cpl Dylan T. Dohr, USMC, took place Saturday, September 28th and was a wonderful day of family, friends, and a patriotic community coming together for a great cause. In addition to the Walk and Ride events, there was plenty of food, music, and an outstanding 50/50 raffle that raised an impressive $1,112 donation for WWIA and our Purple Heart Heroes! Our sincere thanks to the family and friends of Dylan Dohr for choosing WWIA as one of the charity recipients this year, and to everyone involved in this special event for their generosity and support!
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For our September Spotlight, we are honored to introduce you to WWIA Guide Crystal Masek. Crystal was kind enough to answer some questions about her journey with WWIA and we are proud to share her thoughts with you. We hope you enjoy getting to know her and sincerely appreciate her sharing part of her story with us.
Crystal, can you please give us a brief introduction and tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Crystal Masek and I am a Guide for WWIA. I've worked at a Nuclear facility as an electrical supervisor for the past seven years and prior to that as an industrial electrician for 12 years. I am currently in the Army Reserves with a total of 23 years of service. I have one daughter who is 18 and has just recently graduated basic training herself.
My passion is archery hunting. I love the "community" of hunting and fishing. Going by yourself is okay, but sharing that experience with others is invaluable. The outdoors fulfills a need in me that cannot otherwise be filled. I choose archery hunting because of the challenge it presents. I love sharing what I've learned with others along with shadowing other people to soak in what their years of experience have taught them.
How did you first get involved with WWIA?
I was selected to attend an event when there was a cancelation on an alligator hunt and they needed someone to fill a spot. I had never considered killing an alligator before but thought it could be a challenging adventure! I attended the event and I was moved by the incredible hospitality of the group hosting the event along with the organization and set up of the WWIA program itself. I realized I wanted to be involved in giving back and to be a part of something more. I reached out to WWIA for further details about how to get connected and more involved with the Foundation.
Why do you choose to be a WWIA Guide on our events?
Being a WWIA Guide gives me a chance to give back to those who have served. I get the HONOR to be in the presence of some of the greatest people who have proudly served our country. In addition, I also have the pleasure to meet some of the most humbling Hosts who may have never served themselves, yet have a heart of gold for our fellow soldiers. To see these individuals open up their homes to us, fundraise on our behalf, and support us, even in non-event related situations reminds me of how great America truly is.
What has been the biggest benefit for you since becoming involved with WWIA?
The biggest benefit I have gained with WWIA is the new family I am surrounded by.
What is something you would like others to know about WWIA and your own experience with the Foundation?
Not everyone "falls into" the opportunity to help others. It's only when you have been faced with such an opportunity are you able to see the benefits that it pays back two-fold. After seeing the work the Foundation does, including the people behind the lines, and those putting on the events; I have learned that this Foundation is one of a kind. There is something truly special that is happening here. They keep things organized, professional, and the money is wisely spent towards giving back to the soldiers who were injured in the line of duty.
What would you say to others who are considering getting involved with WWIA either as a Hero or in any other capacity?
If given the chance to be part of something greater, do it. You never know where the path may lead you. You may find a lifetime of friends and fulfillment you never dreamt possible.
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Thank You Fisher House for Your Outstanding Support!
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We would like to recognize and thank our friends at Fisher House for their exceptional support of WWIA and our Purple Heart Heroes. Fisher House is a WWIA Silver Star Patron for graciously providing over $125,000 (collectively) in airline flight tickets to our Heroes through their Hero Miles Program since 2016! Their partnership makes a significant impact as it allows WWIA to connect our combat-wounded veterans to other Purple Heart recipients through outdoor sporting events that promote healing and restoration. Thank you, Fisher House, for your outstanding dedication and faithful support in serving our Heroes! Learn more about Fisher House and their Hero Miles program and see how you can help by visiting them at www.fisherhouse.org.
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