HARRISBURG – A group of wounded veterans and family support members came together to visit more than 1,100 exhibitors covering firearms, outfitters, fishing, camping, archery, art and more while attending The Great American Outdoor Show.
Close to 100 wounded veterans convened to spend time with each other and their families as they toured the 650,000 square feet of exhibit hall space as part of a Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) Alumni event. The WWP Alumni program is one of the life-saving programs and services offered free of charge to wounded service members, their caregivers, and families.
Douglas Reighard, Air Force veteran and WWP Alumnus, visited the exhibits with his family. “My family and I like being outdoors and I’m just starting to take my young son with me and plan to start fishing and camping with him this summer,” he said.
“We spent two days walking through the exhibits and still didn’t see everything. My son loved the dock dogs jumping into the water. We watched the fishing demo and air rifle shooting, and the campers are always nice to admire. We looked for a fishing package for my son and me since neither of us has ever been fishing,” he said. “The trip to the show was a very nice family getaway as we learned a lot and got to see items we would not experience in a regular store.”
WWP also made arrangements for Alumni and family to attend country concerts, fundraising dinners, and archery competitions. The packed schedule included opportunities to hear guest speakers, celebrity appearances, outdoor related seminars, and demonstrations.
Army veteran and WWP Alumnus, Angel Vasquez appreciated the invitation to the event. “We saw a bit of everything, but the highlight was firearms,” he said. “Overall the show was very good, a little light in the fishing area…but it is out of season. We were grateful for the chance to be there.”
WWP currently serves more than 100,000 wounded service members, their family members, and caregivers through 20 free programs and services. The WWP Alumni program creates support through shared experiences and brings injured veterans together. This program, along with WWP’s Peer Support program, takes a high-touch approach to addressing the difficulties returning veterans can face with isolation. Through bonding and camaraderie with other injured service members, veterans can make progress at every stage of recovery and healing.
In January alone, Wounded Warrior Project touched 24,488 warriors through one or more of the WWP program pillars of Body, Mind, Economic Empowerment, and Engagement.
