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Billy

Dec 28 2008, 01:44 PM

HUNTS FOR HEROES
PO Drawer 1663
El Campo, TX 77437

The year 2008 began as HUNTS FOR HEROES first entire year as 501 C 3 organization. Our goal for the new year was to double the number of wounded we hosted in 2007 at our outdoor events. We had very little money, an old van for transportation and never-ending obstacles and setbacks to overcome. We had to deal with these issues and much more at BROOKE ARMY MEDICAL CENTER when the year started. We did however, have the will and the dedication of a few determined people to see HUNTS FOR HEROES do great things for our wounded troops in 2008.

We met our goal of doubling our 2007 numbers by late July; two full months before hunting season even started. We bought a new van to transport the wounded to and from BAMC without the worry of breakdowns. HUNTS FOR HEROES also had a little more funding to see us through hunting season, with the hope of more money to come after our first IRS audit and more grants on the horizon.

We hosted fishing events from the spring all the way through late summer in Sergeant and Palacios, TX . We flew wounded troops to turkey hunts in the spring to Del Rio, TX. More than 30 wounded Marines and soldiers shot sporting clays around San Antonio throughout the summer. Our team flew wounded Marines to South Padre Island for deep-sea and inshore fishing trips as well as deer hunting trips to Kansas and Wyoming. Full limit dove hunts were common around El Campo during August, as were teal hunts. LT.COL Bowden has started an outreach of HUNTS FOR HEROES at WALTER REED called LINK UP. LINKUP.ORG finds hunting and fishing venues for wounded warriors that have been medically discharged all over the United States. HUNTS FOR HEROES has hosted a deer hunt in South Texas with the WARRIOR TRANSITION BATTALION from Fort Bliss and has will soon be taking wounded warriors from WTBs at Fort Hood, TX, Fort Campbell, KN, Fort Jackson, SC and Fort Bragg, NC.

By the time duck season started in November HUNTS FOR HEROES had held 15 major events. We had amassed nearly 600 hunter days in the field. With deer, duck and hog hunts going on almost every weekend from November until the end of the year our wounded heroes will total over 1,000 hunter days in the field. It has been a good year hunting and fishing with 27 events under our belt as I type this letter.

In December we kicked off a new way for almost everyone to help our organization support our wounded warriors. It is called ADOPT A WARRIOR. We calculated it costs us $100 a day to host a wounded warrior. We are asking anyone who is able, to adopt as many warriors as your budget will allow.

Without a doubt one of the best events of the year will be the Christmas event we had at BAMC. On December 21st we delivered Christmas baskets and gift cards to wounded soldiers. I am proud to say we have made the lives of hundreds of wounded from BAMC better in 2008 with our outdoor events. But, the smiles we saw on three wounded warriors Sunday as they accepted gifts for 75 was worth more than any ten-point-buck in the world.

For all of you reading this we wish you a most joyous Christmas and happy new year. Many of you have helped, or intend to help HUNTS FOR HEROES financially but many of those we serve literally gave an arm and a leg to us this year. For those of you that helped us make this year possible for them we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Without you HUNTS FOR HEROES would still be only a dream….Merry Christmas!

Sincerely,
Billy Hodges
President
HUNTS FOR HEROES

ShooterJohn

Dec 28 2008, 07:01 PM

Sounds great! But you have to learn to post a picture.

MikeNC

Dec 29 2008, 02:24 AM

Great job y'all and wonderful pictures and true heroes. God Bless all of them and all of you. Hey SJ...just click any of the links for a single picture and then click "view album" in the right hand corner and the whole shootin' match loads up.

Billy

Dec 29 2008, 08:11 AM

QUOTE

Sounds great! But you have to learn to post a picture.

I know how but I don't think
Eric would like me taking up that much room on his site.

BrianHFH

Dec 30 2008, 04:17 AM

Congrta on another sucessful year Uncle Billy! God Bless our Troops!

BrianHFH

Dec 30 2008, 04:19 AM

Excuse me while I go back to third grade and learn how to spell...

What I meant to say was.... '*Congrats* on another sucessful year Uncle Billy! God Bless Our Troops!'

Billy

Dec 30 2008, 08:35 AM

QUOTE

Congrta

Takes after his Uncke Billy

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