Purple Hearted Heroes coming to Lake Shore Park
Star Beacon
SHELLEY TERRY
Area residents will have an opportunity to show their support and appreciation for veterans Aug. 5 at Lake Shore Park.
The American Legion Riders from Post No. 103, in conjunction with the Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation, will host its fourth annual Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation weekend event. Not to be confused with the Wounded Warrior Project, Wounded Warriors in Action is a 100-percent donation-based organization whose mission is to serve the nation’s combat wounded Purple Heart recipients, officials said.
Wounded Warriors in Action provides outdoor sporting activities to recognize and honor each veteran’s sacrifice, encourage independence and connections with communities, as well as promote healing and wellness through camaraderie and a shared passion for the outdoors, according to the organization’s website.
Purple Heart recipients from all over the nation will be escorted through Lake Shore Park between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., led by a motorcycle driven by Capt. Gerald Cornelius of the Ashtabula Police Department, who served as an Army Ranger in the Vietnam War.
Members of the American Legion will be handing American flags to spectators and supporters so they can display their appreciation and wave to the veterans as they pass by, said David B. Mackey, a member of the American Legion Dewey Howlett Post No. 103.
“Please help make these Purple Hearted heroes feel the appreciation they deserve,” he said. “The whole idea for going to Lake Shore Park is to let those who may want to cheer and pay tribute to real heroes. Let’s give them a hero’s welcome.”
The American Legion recommends area residents show their support during the escorted ride to Lake Shore Park and suggests residents line the streets on Bridge Street at the lift bridge, as well as Lance Cpl. Kevin Cornelius Memorial Park and Smith Field.
Other events during the weekend include a private fishing trip and steak dinner for the Wounded Warriors in Action, which gives them “time to get to know one another and start to build the bond of brotherhood,” Mackey said.
The service members range from Vietnam veterans to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. The group is open to letting any service member from any war join their program, the only requirement is that they received a Purple Heart.
There is no out of pocket cost for service members. The support of the community is appreciated, Mackey said, adding veterans love coming to these events and to Ashtabula County.
To learn more about the American Legion Dewey Howlett Post No. 103, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/AmericanLegionDeweyHowlett Post103.
160618_sports_warriors
St. Joseph News-Press
Margaret Slayton
The first Missouri-Kansas catfishing event by Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation took place this month with three Purple Heart recipients participating.
Wounded Warriors in Action is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 2007 and is based in Apollo Beach, Florida. The organization also has sponsored a successful duck and deer hunt in the area for several years that has more than 100 volunteers.
The mission of the group is to serve the nation’s combat wounded Purple Heart recipients by providing world-class outdoor sporting activities as a means to recognize and honor their sacrifice.
“We had so many good people in the community that were wanting to help, we decided to take on an extra event this year,” Brian Roderick, chapter president, said.
The three participants each boarded their own boats and were guided along the Missouri River.
Tyson Scott and Brandon Pool from Texas and Duane Merchant from Oklahoma caught more than 300 pounds of catfish during the three-day event along the river.
Each member that fished with a guide stayed at the Napier Hunt Club in Holt County.
At the river, Merchant caught a trophy 50-pound flathead catfish and the group pulled-in several 40-pound blue cats. The trip produced among the largest fish the group had caught.
“The 50-pound catfish was probably the biggest fish I’ve seen caught,” Scott said. “Where I fish from, if you catch a 5-pound fish, you did well, so catching 50-pounders was pretty insane.”
In addition, the event incorporated bass fishing at a local private pond where the group also reeled in walleye and crappie.
The trio kept the catfish and held a fish fry and each also took home a few pounds of fish.
Kelly Bostian: Edwin Evers tour rewards veterans, anglers with immeasurable catch
Tulsa World
KELLY BOSTIAN
MADILL — Fishing contests, on the surface, give us a yardstick to measure many things: angler skills, effective baits and techniques, the health of fisheries, maybe even one person’s luck verses another’s — the quality of an angler’s day on the water.
Always beneath that surface, however, is the immeasurable stuff. On Monday, eight men launched boats on a pair of private lakes in south-central Oklahoma and had a fishing contest. The results of the day were just that — immeasurable.
We’re not going to forget the actual measurements, however. No chance of that.
The Edwin Evers OPTIMA Batteries Healing Heroes in Action Tour produced some impressive numbers Monday. The group was hosted by the Basil Savage family, of Savage Equipment, on two 30-acre private lakes on their home pecan operation, Hauani Creek Ranch.
The event had Talala bass pro Edwin Evers with Purple Heart recipient Levi Crawford of Jonesboro, Arkansas, fishing against three other teams — two other Elite Series pros and two other Purple Heart recipients, plus a pair of brothers from the Tulsa area who won a Facebook bidding contest to compete in the event.
Chuck and Doug Wells’ $1,200 bid went entirely to the nonprofit Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation, which connects Purple Heart veterans across the country with outdoors-oriented adventures.
Crawford announced before breakfast that he “smelled bacon and a butt-whippin’,” and the former U.S. Army Staff Sgt. proceeded to deliver on that promise.
Former U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Tyson Scott of Amarillo, Texas, fished with California angler Chris Zaldain, and former Marine Cpl. Grady Rakestraw of Shattuck fished with Alabama pro Timmy Horton.
Crawford and Evers brought three fish to the scales, weighing 17 pounds, 12 ounces. Each team with a pro had to bring in one fish caught by the pro and two caught by the veteran.
Each of the three veterans caught the biggest bass of their lives. Crawford had yet to graduate from the 4-pounder club. He broke that mark many times on Monday and his largest was 7-11.
Each team brought in a bag averaging about 5 pounds per fish. They caught-and-released hard-pulling, jumping, running 4-plus-pounders all day long. Rakestraw and Horton hit 14-7, the Wells brothers posted 15-6 and Scott and Zaldain smacked 15-8.
This is Evers’ second year for the Heroes tour. He has three more events like it booked for this year, each taking place the day after a tournament. Evers said he sees it as a blessing.
“I’m in a position that, fortunately, people want to fish with me, and I was looking for a way to give back,” he said.
Chuck Wells is Postmaster in Talala and he knows Evers fairly well; well enough that he checked before he put in a bid — “Just to make sure it wasn’t a conflict or something,” he said.
The bid landed the brothers a chance to fish against the pros on the private lakes, but the stack of items in the prize package from Evers’ sponsors — Lowrance, MegaBass, Zoom, OPTIMA, General Tire and Bass Pro Shops — was generous, as well.
The brothers lost their uncle, Richard “Dean” Wells, who had two Purple Hearts, to health complications stemming from Agent Orange in 2008. A good fishin’ buddy of theirs, George Baker, a retired Air Force pilot, recently died of a heart attack while he was fishing on Oologah Lake.
“He was an amazing man. Great family,” Chuck Wells said.
Wells said he has been inspired by and worked with many veterans over the years.
“It was just to contribute,” he said of his decision to make the bid.
Each of the veterans walked away with fishin’ tales to share and so did the pros and the brothers Wells — an amazing catch, a fishing technique learned. To a man, however, they commented repeatedly, “What a day.”
The personal experience of fishing and fellowship, environment and nature is difficult to quantify.
Three Purple Heart veterans home and free from the sands and heat of Iraq and Afghanistan launched into smooth waters on a day that dawned gray and still, moist, with just enough breeze now and then to let a body breathe.
It was like heaven put a gray blanket over the place to erase the sun and the passing of the hours so they could just fish. Explosions of bass hitting surface lures echoed across those still waters like cracks of distant firecrackers, followed by the laughter of men becoming friends, making dreams come true, making memories for a lifetime.
That’s the immeasurable stuff.
Veterans Take Fishing Trip of a Lifetime with Bassmaster Anglers; Optima Healing Heroes In Action
Frankly and KTEN
MADILL, OK – One of the biggest fishing tournaments, the Bassmaster Elite Series may have come to an end here in Texoma, but it wasn’t over for three professional anglers, who took some lucky veterans on a special trip on Monday.
Their handshakes and laughter says it all. What began as a fishing trip between six strangers, ended in a bond of friendship, thanks to several pounds of bass.
“It’s so humbling, because these guys have been through so much, yet they have such a good attitude, said 2016 Bassmaster Champion, Edwin Evers.
On Monday, three bass masters teamed up with three veterans with the wounded warriors in action to see who could reel in the biggest catch of the day.
Evers worked together with the non-profit organization, Wounded Warriors in Action, to put on the fishing event for the second time.
“Today’s event was amazing, it was a whole lot of fun,” said Marine Corps Veteran, Grady Rakestraw.
“It was a blast, you can see I’m sweating so badly, but there were fish left and right,” said Marine Corps Veteran, Tyson Scott.
A fishing trip put together by the elite anglers, in hopes of giving back and saying thank you to the three servicemen, Tyson Scott of Amarillo, Texas, Levi Crawford of Jonesboro, Arkansas, and Grady Rakestraw of Elk City, Oklahoma.
“These guys are purple hear recipients, they’re the real deal, they’ve given the ultimate sacrifice for all of our freedoms,” said Evers.
Crawford joined the army at the age of seventeen, and was injured during his tour in Afghanistan, when a grenade exploded.
“It came in on the left side, all this is reconstructed and I asked them to make me look like Brad Pitt, that didn’t happen, but I’m still here,” said Army National Guard Veteran, Levi Crawford.
Like Crawford, U.S. Marine Corps Veterans, Grady Rakestraw and Tyson Scott were also wounded during their time of service.
“I was hit by a mortar in 2006, it was like four days into my deployment,” said Scott.
“I was an infantry squad leader; and that’s where I took bullet shrapnel to the leg,” said Rakestraw.
KTEN.com – No One Gets You Closer
Each vet and angler paired off to cast a line, launching their boats at two private lakes on savage farms in Madill.
“It’s just neat to take those guys out there, and introduce them to the sport, to bass fishing,” said Evers.
2016 Bassmaster Classic champion, Edwin Evers and partner, Levi Crawford came in first place, their combined catch weighing in at just over seventeen pounds.
“I’m on cloud nine, I can’t tell you just how good the experience was,” said Crawford.
And while all three veterans may be from different parts of the country, they’re thankful a fishing trip of a lifetime has brought together their love for the outdoors and their country as one.
“It was a very unique, and once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Rakestraw.
To learn more about the” Wounded Warriors in Action “organization, click here.
If you would like to bid, and join other veterans and Bassmaster Classic champion, Edwin Evers on their next fishing trip, click here.
Pig Roast Helps Wounded Warriors
ithaca.com
Jaime Cone
At Wilderness Bed & Breakfast in Newfield May 21, local organizers of Wounded Warriors in Action held a pig roast to raise money for the group’s second hunting trip. Last year the B & B, located on 21 secluded acres, hosted a group of veterans who enjoyed a few days of hunting and good food, and WWIA is looking forward to doing it again this winter.
Andy Hartenstein, owner of Wilderness Bed and Breakfast in Newfield, offered her pavilion overlooking the B&B’s pond as a scenic venue. Last year the five veterans came from all over the country – Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Fort Drum. They stayed at the B&B the first week in December and had a successful weekend of bowhunting: They ended up getting two bucks and a doe.
Cook said the sound of gunshots can trigger post traumatic stress disorder, so they used bow and arrows instead. Each veteran was accompanied by a guide. Wounded Warriors in Action is a national organizations founded in 2009 and is not affiliated with the Wounded Warriors Project.
Members of the organization are “big believers in outdoor recreation helping the fellows, especially those with traumatic brain injuries,” said Carol Cook, organizer of the hunting trip. WWIA also plans activities like fishing trips, mountain climbing excursions, and even alligator and wild pig hunts.
“It gives them a chance to be in peace and quiet and to have some solitude and to just think,” Cook said.
The men decided to split the meat among themselves so everyone could take some home. Tops supermarket in Watkins Glen processed the deer meat, and Hartenstein, owner of the Wilderness B&B, packaged fresh layers of venison in between layers of frozen meat to keep it cool during their plane rides home.
Hartenstein said she enjoyed getting to know the veterans. The experience gave her a deeper appreciation of the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women. “There was one big guy, and he was really the jokester of the group, and come to find out he had been on suicide watch when he came back from overseas,” she said. “So they’ve really been through a lot. He said this was just wonderful.”
At the pig roast, Cook also had a 50/50 raffle with items donated from local business. To complete the festive event, Julianne Wrolstad of Hula Hut Polynesian Dance performed with four of her students. She teaches the hula and traditional dances from Tahiti and New Zealand, giving lessons at the Just Because Center on State Street in Ithaca. When she heard that her friend was planning a pig roast as a fundraiser, it seemed natural that she and Cook team up for a luau-themed event. “In this way were able to help,” she said.
For more information on Wounded Warriors in Action, visit www.wwiaf.org.
For more information about Hula Hut, visit www.hulahut.org or visit their booth on Cayuga Street at Ithaca Festival June 3 and 4.
PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS TO ENJOY LOCAL TURKEY HUNT
Lewis County Herald
WWIAF
Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation (WWIA) is holding another great hunting event for Purple Heart recipients on April 8-11, hosted by Shelley Cohen and Dennis Reynolds, on their property at the edge of Lewis and Wayne counties.
Lynn Tiller of Hohenwald, back, volunteered his time in 2015 assisting the Wounded Warriors as a guide for the hunt.
On this all-expense-paid trip, Heroes John, Chance, Justin, and Jonathan will be out hunting turkey for two full days from ground blinds. While the harvest can be exciting, the main event on this trip is the opportunity to connect with other Purple Heart recipients and be enveloped in the warmth of thankful and caring hosts.
Wounded Warriors frequently return home different than when they left to serve our Nation—life in general and their personal and professional lives have changed dramatically. WWIA strives to show these Heroes they can still experience and accomplish milestones in their lives, no matter their current circumstances.
One Hero at last year’s event said, “Of all the events and places I have personally been, this rates right up there with the very best. The hosts, Dennis and Shelley, are great people and do everything within their control to make sure this event is successful for the Heroes.”
Cohen and Reynolds sponsor two hunts in the fall on their property in addition to the turkey hunt in April. For the hosts, their work with WWIA has become a true passion. Cohen says, “Once we hosted veterans for the first time and were so humbled by their stories, we knew this was our calling. We are so grateful for their service and thankful to provide the opportunity for them to get away from the stress of daily life while enjoying hunting here at Doublecreek and connecting with the beautiful countryside.”
Critical to the healing process, whether from traumatic brain injury, permanent limb disability or post- traumatic stress disorder, these events bolster self-confidence while strengthening the bond with nature, local communities and other Purple Heart veterans. Each WWIA event serves three to five Heroes and lasts at least two to three full days, allowing for optimal bonding, brotherhood and camaraderie.
Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation (WWIA) is a national non-profit dedicated to serving our nation’s combat wounded Purple Heart. For more information, please visit www.wwiaf.org, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/wwia or contact us at info@wwiaf.org.
United Piping, Inc. Holiday Party Donation: Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation
United Piping
WWIA
Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation (WWIA) was the recipient of the wonderful generosity of the employees and families of United Piping, Inc. (UPI) this holiday season.
United Piping, Inc. (UPI) is a general contractor, specializing in construction of new and modifications of existing facility and pipeline construction for the oil and gas industry. They are committed to providing safe, reliable and cost-effective solutions for construction needs primarily within in the upper Mid-West.
On January 8th, UPI hosted a holiday party with over 400 employees in attendance. Due to the generous support of their sub-contractors and suppliers, they were able to host a silent auction, live auction, and raffle. Altogether, the employees, spouses and guests raised $17,230 to donate to the Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation (WWIA). Additionally, UPI’s President, Bob Schoneberger, also donated $2,770, to allow the company to generously give WWIA a grand total of $20,000. Mr. Schoneberger is a long-time resident of the state of Wisconsin, a passionate hunter and angler, as well as a proud supporter of our troops. He was thrilled by the opportunity to promote the healing powers of hunting and fishing by supporting the Purple Heart Heroes of WWIA through this company event. With this donation, UPI will be sponsoring Heroes this fall at a WWIA hunting event near Lanesboro, MN, as well as a combined hunting/fishing event at Camp Hackett, WI.
Spending time experiencing the soothing qualities of nature, hanging out with other veterans, and sharing similar experiences can really help calm the spirit. Additionally, when the excitement and challenge of hunting deer in an amazing environment or catching that big fish off the coast is included, Heroes tend to achieve a level of satisfaction and accomplishment that has been missing from their lives. WWIA also works to connect these Heroes with each other by always hosting small groups; giving them the opportunity to recreate that camaraderie they previously shared with others in deployed situations.
Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation (WWIA) is a national non-profit dedicated to serving our nation’s combat wounded Purple Heart recipients by providing world-class outdoor sporting activities as a means to recognize and honor their sacrifice, encourage independence and connections with communities, and promote healing and wellness through camaraderie and a shared passion for the outdoors. For more information, please go to the website at www.wwiaf.org and visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/wwia or contact us at info@wwiaf.org.
UPI Contact, Brent Straub: Brent.Straub@unitedpiping.us, company information: www.unitedpiping.us, www.facebook.com/UnitedPiping, www.linkedin.com/company/united-piping-inc-
Wounded Warriors in Action Hunts
Friends of NRA
Shelley Cohen
Lewis County was host to a Rifle Deer Hunt event for the Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation-a program for Purple Heart heroes who have a love for the outdoors.
This is the third year that Dennis Reynolds and Shelley Cohen have hosted hunting events that focus on small groups that allow for peer-to-peer interaction for Wounded Warriors with similar experiences. Heroes from Michigan, Missouri, Texas and New Jersey all participated and prior events have had Tennessee residents as well. Two seven point bucks and one bobcat were taken and some new friendships were formed.
Critical to the healing process, whether it is traumatic brain injury, permanent limb disability or post- traumatic stress disorder, these events bolster self-confidence while strengthening a bond with nature and others.
Volunteer guides included Jayme Layhew, Mack Kelley, and James Cato and our game warden, Clint Newton stopped by to enjoy meet the group and enjoy breakfast with them. Veterans represented Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan wars who were able to spend time healing long-term emotional and physical wounds.
“Many thanks to the NRA Foundation for their generous awarded grants to offset the costs of hunting licenses and travel expenses associated with all of our events for the 2015 year,” Dennis and Shelley said.
Anyone interested in donating or volunteering can contact Dennis or Shelley at 615-969-1078. You can donate directly through www.gofundme/TNWWIAF, and more details are available at www.wwiaf.org. Should you know of a Purple Heart veteran that would like to participate, they can apply on the WWIA website.
Below are a few quotes from participants:
“I have had a great mistrust in people for a long time, but being here and seeing how I was treated, has given me faith in people again.”
“This has been one of the, if not the best hunting trip I have been on.”
“Truly memories that will last a lifetime.”
“Nature has a way of healing itself and I believe it heals me when I am fortunate enough to enjoy it.”
“It was great being around some true patriots.”
Wounded Warriors 2nd Annual Banquet
Seneca Falls
JIMMY PORTO
Senator Mike Nozzolio was recently honored at the Wounded
Warriors in Action Foundation 2nd annual banquet for his steadfast support
of their organization. The Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation serves our
Nation’s combat wounded Purple Heart recipients by offering world-class
outdoor sporting activities as a way to promote healing and wellness
through participation in sporting events, such as hunting and fishing.
Senator Nozzolio is a strong advocate for current and former members of our
Armed Forces and has sponsored legislation that would eliminate sporting
license fees for honorably discharged, disabled veterans. The Kuneytown
Sportsmen’s Club and its members were the official host and sponsor for the
event for the second straight year.
Pictured left to right are: Senator Mike Nozzolio; Eric Riegel, President
of Kuneytown Sportsmen’s Club; Staff Sergeant Michael Walker, of Texas;
Specialist Jeremy Smith, of Pennsylvania; Staff Sergeant Jeremy Lake, of
Pennsylvania; Second Lieutenant Dr. Keith Tidball, Chair of the Wounded
Warriors in Action event committee; Major Sammie Braswell, of Minnesota;
Specialist Anthony Payne, of Indiana; and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano.
New Pheasants Forever chapter in Pennsylvania: Outdoor Insider
Penn Live
Marcus Schneck
Pheasants Forever has launched its newest chapter in Allegheny County.
Known as the Greater Allegheny Chapter of Pheasants Forever, the group will focus on restoring upland habitat for pheasants and other wildlife, while educating younger generations on the importance of wildlife habitat conservation.
“Pheasants Forever’s No Child Left Indoors Initiative has become a main focus of our chapter here in Allegheny,” said chapter president Mark Rozum. “We believe that young people will determine the future of our state’s wildlife and it is our personal mission to give them an opportunity to experience the outdoors while learning about the importance of habitat conservation.”
Pheasant populations in Pennsylvania have been on the decline for a number of years, making the restoration of wildlife habitat throughout the state more vital than ever.
According to the Northeast Upland Game Bird Technical Committee report for 2015, the primary causes for these declines are loss of farmland habitat and intensification of agricultural practices on remaining cropland acres.
Pheasants Forever chapters across Pennsylvania are working to confront those issues by continuing restoration of wild birds in designated recovery areas, contributing local funding towards sound habitat management practices, and encouraging bird hunters to have a voice for upland wildlife.
Pennsylvania is home to 13 chapters of Pheasants Forever, one chapter of Quail Forever, and more than 2,500 members.
Championship fishing rods auctioned for veterans
Aaron Martens, who won his third Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year title five top-10 finishes, including two victories, in 2015, is auctioning off the Enigma rods he used to win the title to benefit the Wounded Warriors In Action Foundation, which supports world-class outdoor experiences for wounded combat veterans.
“I can’t think of a better cause to contribute these rods to than an organization dedicated to getting Wounded Warriors in the outdoors,” Martens said. “Those injured soldiers put our freedoms above their own personal safety to protect our way of life. No price can be put on that.”
A total of 30 rods will be auctioned off on eBay. Some of the rods are casting, some are spinning and they vary in actions and sizes.
“All of these are the Enigma rods I used all season on the Elite Series,” Martens said. “Some of them are one-of-a-kind prototypes that I was experimenting with when designing the rods. Some of them are the ones I used to win on Havasu and on the Chesapeake. They are special rods to me, but I want people across the country to bid on them to raise money so we can get these amazing Warriors into the great outdoors where they can experience miracles.”
WWIAF was founded in 2007 by retired Lt. Col. John McDaniel who served in the U.S. Army for 20 years.
McDaniel’s vision was to harness the healing powers of the great outdoors by arranging exceptional fishing and hunting experiences for combat wounded veterans at no cost to them.
Today WWIAF serves more than 200 Wounded Warriors a year across 36 states and three foreign countries.