April Newsletter 2013 - Columbia River Steelheaders

President’s Message - April 2013
Pheeeeeewwwwwwwwwww……. That’s the sound of a deep breath
going out after nishing the Wounded Veterans Fishing Event last
weekend. Have I mentioned it was a LOT of work for a lot of people…
the good news, we did it and did it well.
So many good things to report over last year’s event… rst things rst
though. The weather was beautiful, the water perfect, the guides
spectacular and the Vet’s that showed up…. Fantastic. The catching
sucked. Yup I said it….it sucked. I left the ramp at 4:45pm, the sh
checker said he checked 71 boats for 1…. Yeah…1 sh. So I think my
description is accurate.
The volunteer sta for this year’s event was beyond belief. We had a lot of folks that gave up their entire day, to
hang out at the ramp/launch and help with whatever was asked. It was so heart warning to see. As the father of an
active duty service member who is currently deployed, I was very moved to see this outpouring of support for the
Veterans that showed up that day.
So many volunteers to thank I am sure I am going to forget some. Let’s start with Rick Jenkins and Sharron
Wannamaker. These two people put in countless hours of planning and implementing everything that happened
that day. Sharron is personally responsible for making the entire lunch thing happen. She and her husband Warren
chased down all the stu, got donations to cover ALL of it and actually organized a work party to MAKE THE
LUNCHES when our business sponsor fell through on his commitment to do it.
A huge thank you to LOVETT CONSTRUCTION, PETERSON MACHINERY (CAT), 40 et 8 (Bill Sartorous) and FRITO LAY
for their very generous cash or food donation(s) that allowed us to do what we did. City Councilman Larry Smith
and the City of Vancouver for their help. Councilman Smith showed up around 3pm to meet and greet the Vet’s as
they came back in from the days shing. Turns out he was a huge ear for them in resolving some issues they were
having, separate from our event at all. What a great guy, he hung around talking and helping until everyone had
left. Thank you Larry.
The “ground crew/volunteers” – to include the Parking lot set up (it was so much fun this year, seriously… we had a
hoot doing it, what a great mix of folks). The Meet and Greet folks, the Parking folks, the All of Rick and Sharron’s
cadre of volunteers that met the Vets, organized them, got them their lunches, packets, snacks, rae tickets and on
the boats…. Incredible group. “Anita” my paperwork volunteer, Thank you. She asked for a job to do. I assigned her
to get a list of ALL the volunteers helping that day and their duties. It’s one of those not so glorious, out of the
limelight, thankless behind the scenes kinda jobs that was very important… but not one that had people lining up
asking to do… well she did it. And a great job she did. I don’t have an exact count yet but…. I think we have over 75
individual volunteers that helped out in some way. INCREDIBLE…. Just incredible.
Carla and Johnny… thank you for getting the rod and reel… turning a $100.00 donation into $300.00 donation,
organizing the rae and rod reel give away. One of the Veterans from JBLM went home with a brand new salmon
set up that will last him the rest of his life. He was a VERY HAPPY camper. (Thanks to chapter member Terry Kerwood
for the original $100.00 donation)
Since the event, I have received three separate phone calls from local active duty Vets that went out that day,
thanking me and the Chapter for a wonderful event. One of the men that called said he has been stationed here for
2.5 years now, loves to sh, knows NO ONE that does, has no means to do so himself and this trip was the BEST day
of his life in the last 2.5 years. He said he has NEVER seen so many people supporting him and his fellow soldiers in
such a positive way. He was literally gushing with thanks. You folks deserve it all; it makes me so proud to know we
did something so good that meant so much to these men and women serving our country.... (cont below)