[leadcorebean]

What an amazing event! Sat morning started off with a great send off from the local color guard and the Ashtabula Coast Guard station in the river. 5 boats led by Bill Miller in his tank headed north for a slow ride out. Everyone had their own program working and with some help from each other our 5 boats boxed up roughly 80 walleye and were back to the docks by 3. The heroes were greeted by a very large motorcycle escort to dinner. Unfortunately, no fishing on Sun due to rough seas. Still enjoyed the company and telling fish tales throughout the day. I know the guys appreciated all of the effort. Thanks for organizing, Larry Fielder "Dixie Chicken"! And thanks to the volunteers/captains, Steve, Frank, Joey, Carl "Big Daddy", Virgil, "Big Johnson", Bill, Kenny, Dave and Todd "Catch". If I missed someone, it wasn't intentional, it has been a long rewarding weekend. Thanks to all who made this happen.

 

[sylvan 17]

Nice job Leadcore and guys. You guys deserve a pat on the back for showing them a great time.

 

[ErieRider]

Bret and other attendees,
What a weekend it was. The fishing, food and welcome by the entire ashtabula community was overwhelming and awesome!! Thanks to Steve and Joe for keeping us fed and our energy up!! Incredible meals! Thanks to the american legion and wwia for having us. I have not laughed so hard in a long long time tons of fun with great people! What an amazing event!! More to come in the following days once we all get settled in!
Dave
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app

 

[ErieRider]

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app

 

[Millinski]

Is WWIA a part of Wounded Warrior Project or a stand alone organization?

 

[ErieRider]

www.wwiaf.org

Should help clarify your questions.

 

[BIG JOHNSON]

Here are a few more pics. It was an honor to participate in this event. I don't think we realize how lucky we are to have folks like them serve for our freedoms that we have. Thank God for the men and women in the service both past and present!

On a side note, I stayed with Ken and Dave pass (KPI and Erie rider) in their trailer and I think I'm gonna need a good psychiatrist after this weekend! I am scared for life! Whatever you do, don't eat any Pizza if Kenny offers it to ya.

Sent from my C811 4G using Ohub Campfire mobile app

 

[adp15]

Nice job Brett I'm glad weather gave you guys one good day. I appreciate everything about WWIA would love to be part of it next year help out anyway I can. As a veteran myself (USN) I know it means a lot to the men and women returning home. Everybody involved should feel good deal of pride for taking time to show these warriors what they were fighting for. Don

 

[OhYeah]

Congrats to all involved for showing these men a fine Lake Erie weekend.
By the line-up of names I bet it was comedy central, on and off the water.

And I also would like to thank - All our Veterans.

 

[blue dolphin]

Awesome jobs guys thank yoi all that put on a great show for are veterans. BD

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Ohub Campfire mobile app

 

[ErieRider]

Hey Al,
Check auto correct on your phone buddy!! I am glad to be part of this and still can't say thanks enough for the entire event!! The hero's are a great bunch of guys and are thanked for their service as are all veterans. Just a few more pics.
Here are a few more pics and I do apologize for the last pic. Thats alot of camo in that pic!

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app

 

[leadcorebean]

comedy central in an understatement! between kenny and virgils campfire stories it made for alot of laughs thats for sure! it truly feels great to be a part of an event like this and give back tiny tiny peice to guys who gave so much for us!

 

[DanO6961]

Sounds like a great cause and a great event!! Without heros like the guys you captains took fishing our great country would be a far different place!! Thank you! I fish with Dave and Kenny alot and Virgil a time or two. I'm sure the stomachs are still sore from laughing. I wish i coulda been there!!

DanO

 

[jeepdude64]

it was a good time and a shame sunday the winds shifted we all could of been still there cleaning fish. Thanks to Kister's marina on an excellent site to both camp and launch from it made the trip a memorable one. For some reason I can't upload the pic the hero I took out caught the first walleye a 31" pig. Not bad for his first time on Erie.. I will try later to post the pic. Thanks to Eyedreamn for allowing me to use his starcraft for the weekend it worked great and the autopilot made my weekend.

 

[KPI]

it was the best weekend I have had fishing for a long time!!!To take out the guys who stand up for our freedom is just awesome. the effort that was put into the event was out of this world!!!all the boats and the crews worked together to get some solid fish!!!!! the donors who helped out is overwhelming, the volunteers that did not even wet a line is amazing, the warriors who came were amazing!!!I am still on cloud nine simply a awesome weekend start to finish the marina and campground were great!!!I hope I can be part of the event next year but we will see I think they wanted to vote me off the island but a hope the fans vote for me!!!! the fishing was great and the time spent together was awesome thanks again the everyone who organized the event Larry"Dixie chicken" Fielder thank you again your brother and cookie awesome dudes good times p.s. I know people who like pizza Kenny Pace

 

[bigragu]

BIG THANKS to all who made our Vets weekend special. Will definetly watch for the date of next years event or any for the heroes that support our freedom.

 

[Dixie Chicken]

Whew what a weekend! Over six months of planning and now it's over.

First I want to thank Frank Broskey "Jeepdude64" without his help this never would have happened. He personally raised over half of the almost $10,000 that was raised to put on this event. No the event did not cost that much the extra went directly to WWIA to host other events.

To all of you that donated money to WWIA Thank You.

The American Legion in Ashtabula, Kister Marina. the Legion Riders, Giant Eagle of Ashtabula, the Coast Guard Station in Ashtabula, the Honor Guard of the Ashtabula VFW & American Legion, the Ashtabula Police Dept, the Perry Fire Dept, Carl "Big Daddy"Bachtel our official camera guy and the many volunteers that came out that day to help us put a smile on the HEROES faces, you all are wonderful people! Thank You All!

The boat Captains, their crew, the ground support people who took vacation days off to be there from Thursday thru Monday all of your efforts paid off in spades!

I sure hope I am not forgetting anyone. This was truly a humbling experience. We had HEROES that served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam.

Most of all I want to thank the HEROES that were in attendance and all that have served our country to protect our freedom.

With any luck at all we'll do it again next year!
Thanks so very much
DC Larry Fielder

 

[ErieRider]

Larry,
I sent an e-mail to Frank thanking him for his effort, however, a shout out should be made to him in public, he stepped up to the plate huge and really made this work out awesome!
He is probably the mellowest of the whole group but did a spectacular job in seeking donations.
Thanks again to Frank and all who made it possible.
Very well run and nice, fun event all around!

 

[jeepdude64]

Yes I can be considered mellow that is why I don't drink much I like that side it has less stress. I thought compared to last year there was big improvements that made this trip successful (especially being able to catch a walleye). It really goes to Larry and his local crew that arranged things. I was just happy my rental rv made it out with the steelers sticker in tact. I wish I would of stayed the night and fished Monday it was an excellent day for being out there.

On a side note Dave and ken did you see how dry my passengers were on saturday.. they didn't need rain gear or a snorkel..