On the weekend of September 12 through 14, 2014, I had the privilege of being a part of a great event for the second year in a row. This event was organized by the Hope For Heroes Foundation with help from Heroes On The Water. These organizations help wounded veterans with their return back into society by providing them with opportunities to participate in special events that help give them a sense of independence. In this case, the event is centered on something I am passionate about, kayak fishing. All kayak fishermen know the healing qualities of fishing from a watercraft and fighting a fish while sitting just inches above the water. Even on trips where no fish are caught, just being out in the great outdoors and moving at a slow and quiet pace is enough to recharge our physical and emotional batteries. At this event we get to share the healing qualities of kayak fishing with a select group of soldiers.

Again this year, the event was hosted by the Kentucky State Police at their Trooper Island Camp located along the Tennessee and Kentucky state line on Dale Hollow Lake. Trooper Island Camp is operated by the Kentucky State Police as a service to the youth of the state of Kentucky. The KSP graciously opens up their facilities to the Hope For Heroes Foundation and we are very thankful for that. I was able to do a little fishing of my own on Saturday morning of the weekend and had some early success out of my Jackson Kayak Big Rig. I was able to catch two very respectable smallmouth bass, the species that Dale Hollow Lake is known for. However, the highlight of my weekend came a little later on Saturday morning as I was able to take a hero and his son out for a little fishing in the Jackson Kayak Big Tuna. It was great seeing the father beam with excitement as the bobber on his son’s fishing line disappeared and his son began to reel in the fish on the other end. He was able to get the fish in the boat and I knew that my whole trip had been made a success right there. It wasn’t the biggest fish caught that weekend but the significance could be huge. I hope his son remembers that fish and his father’s pride for the rest of his life.

A lot of hard work goes into making an event like this a success. The work of getting kayaks onto a ferry boat and onto an island can be tiring at times. But when you see a kid’s and his father’s eyes light up or see a soldier that has to practically be dragged off the water to eat lunch, you know that it is all worth every ounce of effort. I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this event this year and I am already looking forward to next year. Be sure to check out the websites of Hope For Heroes and Heroes On the Water and be sure to look them up on Facebook as well.