How Blessed we are!
Posted By
Matt Hendricks
at
11/11/2009 12:00:00 AM
After volunteering at the disabled veterans hunt at Camp Ripley, I have learned one thing. I am the one who is disabled. I have full use of my body, however, I do not appreciate it enough, and I take full advantage of it daily.
On October 6th, 7th, and 8th, the annual Minnesota disabled Veterans hunt took place at Camp Ripley, north of St. Cloud Minnesota. The hunt was headed up by Ron Welle of Midwest Outdoors Unlimited (an organization that Ron founded. It’s an organization that sets up and caters to the disabled veterans on a variety of turkey, pheasant, and deer hunts). Of every hunter that I met, and seen at the camp, all of them showed up with the brightest of smiles and were full of the most optimism you could ever imagine. It was like being part of a large family where everyone knows everyone, and everybody cares about one another. It didn’t take long before the jokes first started when I met Bill Ryan from Paynesville and his guide James Volkers of Avon. These two were out for a great time from the word go. From the moment I met them, I knew I was in for a treat. Talk about class acts. Bill is a Vietnam veteran who had been wounded in battle, and is now retired from teaching at the local high school in Paynesville, MN. Bill introduced me to a ray of other inspiring individuals like Hank Ebert of Brainerd, and Brian Saaristo of Barnum . I asked what makes this hunt so special, and Bill came right out and said hands down it’s the camaraderie that everyone shares. And after you sit in the room for about 2 minutes, you see how right on he is. These men and women all share a common bond, and it’s not from the battle scars as much as it is they all know the appreciation and valuable gift of life. With each person I met, all had different stories and backgrounds, but they all had the same smile and warm heart when you sat and talked with them. They knew they had challenges in life, and they had every right to be bitter about what happened to them, yet not one of them is. I was, and still am humbled by what I witnessed there those 2 days. Which was more laughter from people who faced danger and sacrificed a lot, than I had ever experienced before.
Like I mentioned before, I am the one with the largest disability of them all…….the disability to appreciate and laugh the way they all did. As a hunter, I don’t give thanks to the Lord enough when I am out there in the stand, for the ability to do this on my own, to drag my own deer, and mostly, for the gift of others sacrifices. After all, it’s because of men like Bill Ryan, Hank Ebert, Brian Saaristo, and all the other men and women who have served, and are serving currently in the armed forces, who all provide a freedom that allows me to do what I love most. I ask each hunter to thank someone in the service the next time you see their license plate, or uniform, or hat. Just shake their hand and say “Thank you for your service”, if not for their sacrifice, we would not have what we have.
I want to thank Bill Ryan and James Volkers for allowing me to tag along, and be a part of something so spectacular. And a very special thank you to Ron Welle for all of your efforts and sacrifices in making dreams come true for so many who deserve it. God Bless you Ron, the troops and their families. You’ve all made our world a better and safer place. For that I am grateful. Thank you!
Matt Hendricks
