NEED HELP. DO SOMETHING NICE FOR A FEW ELDERLY VETERANS!!

[baitwetter]

Alright guys, I need some help to do something nice for some great veterans.

On the morning of Wednesday, May 7th, 2008 at Anglins pier, I will be hosting a group of elderly veterans from the VA nursing home for a few hours of fishing. They will be taken out there by a VA bus and I would like to pair each one with one of us boatlessfishing guys for a fun time. These men have been asking to go fishing but the VA never had a way of doing it so I volunteered to set it up for them. They are very excited about finally getting out there and getting out of the nursing home for a change.

I would like to know if any of you would have a couple of hours and an extra pole to help me do this for these guys. Maybe the pier owners could help us out with the entrance fee. Tommy, let me know if that would be a possibility.

If you can help out, please IM me so I can get an idea of how many VETS I can pair up with BF guys for this fun event.

Any and all help you guys could provide would be very much appreciated!!

[sprtsracer]

OK...obviously I can't be there to help out because of my health, but what if I donate some Penn Reels??? Nothing special...maybe a Penn 85 and 80, and maybe one or two others? They'd be good for the pier and all would be upgraded! PM me your address and I'll send them Priority Mail. Just let the guys keep them!!! Great idea and I thank you!!! Larry

[sprtsracer]

Oh...and by the way...after I recover from my fiasco, I think you may have "hit on something"!!! It's a great idea and maybe something we can all get involved in all over the state! Start small and work up. At least it gives me some ideas as to what to do in the local area here! Thank you so much for that idea! You are most likely a Godsend for those guys! Let me know if you need anything additional. Not sure about the rods, because the ones I could ship would need some repair, but the reels are no problem! PM Me!!!

[baitwetter]

Thanks man. I'll contact you later this week to sort it out. I appreciate your help!!

[baitwetter]

Dont think I can move the date because they have the nursing home staff available only during the week. The folks at the VA are really happy I am setting this up and have procured a bus for that day. Sounds like it's going to be a really cool thing to do for these guys and I will probably make it into a small tourney for them. Because of their age and fragility, I dont think this event will last more than 2-3 hours. I would also like to get refreshments for the guys and the staff from the VA that will accompany them.

Any monetary donations would be greatly appreciated and could be sent to me via paypal (matantiques@aol.com) or just leave anything you can with Tommy at the pier and I will get it from him.

I have enough hooks & swivels but need poles, reels and mono. The exact amount will depend on how many VA residents are coming out. I will let everyone know ahead of time as the date nears.

Thanks again for all your help guys. I know my boatless brothers wouldn't let me down.

[NICK123]

if you could move it to a weekend i would love to help and can spair 2 rods. if not so sad. but if you could i love helping people that helped defend this great country.

[baitwetter]

I HAVE RECEIVED 1 CASE OF GOGGLE EYES FOR BAIT FROM ROOFER DAVE.


THANKS DAVE!!!

[swordfish]

Hey I love this, I will attempt to get involved anyway I can, kinda limited but if nothing else I think its a wonderful thing you have my cheers!

-sword

[baitwetter]

Alright guys:

I just received confirmation from the VA that there will be 6 elderly vets coming this wednesday. They will be at Anglins between 9 & 10 am. Some in wheelchairs, some in scooters. They will bring 4 attendants with them.

The pier owners have given us a break on the entrance fee and my friend Tommy (boatlessfisherman) has graciously offered to help with the $$. Tommy, you da man!

I plan to show these guys a good time and serve them some refreshments like water, juice, donuts/bagels and the sort. I have enough rods, tackle and bait.

If anyone wants to help out and show these guys your support, come out to the pier this coming wednesday and treat them like rockstars. They are already very excited about just coming out of the nursing home.

The VA person I have spoken to is very excited about this and continues to monitor this forum. We just might make this a quarterly event and expand it to include other nursing homes and recently injured vets from the VA hospitals.


Let me know if you guys can come out this wednesday and if anyone could help us out.

THANK YOU!!!!

[baitwetter]

OK...Tomorrow's the day. Anyone coming out to help us out with the vets?

So far we have myself, Paulieboy, & The Boatless Fisherman(maybe). I am bringing bagels & cream cheese, water, juice, pastries, rods, tackle & bait, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, plates, napkins, forks. Just need more hands to help the guys. Head count is now about 9 or 10 vets & 4 nursing home attendants. I am paying 1/2 price on admission to the pier for them and I want to say thanks to the owners of Anglins Pier for that.

I will be at the pier at around 830am and the bus from the VA should be there around 945am. They will probably fish until 1200pm because it might get too hot for them.

Anyone able to lend a hand PLEASE let me know.

[baitwetter]

Well we had a great time out there with a great group of guys & ladies! We hosted 5 great guys and their attendants & volunteer from the VA nursing home in Pembroke Pines. They were treated to a great on pier breakfast including my famous smoked amberjack fish dip and other goodies. Lots to see around like manatees, manta rays, tarpon, pelicans, and some liked the girls on the beach! Their volunteer Janet, is a Lt. Colonel in the Army and was injured in Afganistan! A real life war hero and a pretty one at that! The VA coordinator, Oscar, was a great guy and very touched that we set this up for his guys. It was great to meet all of you. Im sorry the fish didn't cooperate today but we WILL do it again real soon.

I want to thank Tommy (boatlessfisherman) for his support and assistance today. Always proud to work with ya bud!

Thanks to Roofer for giving us A TON of bait.

Thanks to Rijkaard for the use of his rods and to Paulieboy for the use of his cart and rods.

Thanks to Anglins pier for allowing me to do this for these guys.

[NICK123]

i would love to help next time if it's on a weekend or in summer time i love helping people that fought for this country.

[PhishingPhanatic]

Those pics brought a smile to my face, I could have easily pictured my grandfather out there. Great work, and definitely keep us posted for future events.

[baitwetter]

Thanks guys. I will definately try to plan the next one on a weekend to get everyone involved.

[killula]

Id like to help out, Im a wounded vet also from Iraq, I love fishing and I have a ton of equipment and would like to help out anyway I can.

[Dadfish]

As an old man that doesn't get out as much as I'd like to, I can't help but remember taking my "grandfather" fishing for trout up in Vermont when he got to the point where he couldn't drive any more...

Those picture put a smile on my face, but also a tear in my eye remembering all the lost opportunities those men have had to endure to keep me safe and secure....

God Bless you, Baitwetter....And to the rest that was able to help out...

[dwpdoc]

GREAT; absolutely GREAT STUFF!!! I'd like to be a part of the next event, please keep me in mind and contact me; I can make myself available on a weekday or weekend so don't hesitate to contact me. Thanks!

[baitwetter]

Thanks guys. I will set one up soon after the shark tourney is over. Just got a letter from the activities director over at the VA thanking us for putting this on for them. I will post here when i'm ready to do this again.

[ALBEE1947]

I am an older vet. at 61 not so old. Please contact me when you need help the next time you do this wonderful thing. I am really excited about lending a hand...

[baitwetter]

Will do Albee! Thanks.

[baitwetter]

Thats ok Ricky. They are safe and sound in my office waiting for you. I can take them down to key west on August 1st and give them to you after the trip or if you need them we can meet up sooner. Let me know.

[kidfisher10]

anyone catch anything? i take my grandpa fishing on anglins whenever he comes here... usually in pompano season. does anyone know when this will happen again?

[killula]

soon, very soon

[Xpierrat]

Add my name to help.....someone please send me a PM when the next event is so I will not miss it.

Gramps