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DIGGING DEEP AND STAYING THE COURSE: Disabled Vets Gain Confidence, Happiness, Companionship in the Wild

Ryan Flahardy (right), a disabled Army veteran, has achieved full outdoor reintegration support with the Get Back Outdoors organization. He is pictured with Carlos Lopes, a disabled Marine Corps veteran (left), and GBO President Larry Osmer (center).

Its a common perception among disabled veterans: Theyre just using us for a political photo op. Once the shutter snaps theyre outta here. Not so for a young organization growing up in New England. At a time in history when United States troops are deployed in roughly 150 foreign countries*, bleary-eyed Americans are called to dig deeper in support of our military. Poignant stories aboundof young families mourning the loss of their husbands and dads, young men and women suffering from severe PTSD in epidemic proportions, and our bravest citizens returning home in chronic pain, paralyzed and without limbs.

Two avid outdoorsmen in New England set out in 2010 to help disabled vets regain their enjoyment of life through outdoor activities like hunting and fishing; what began as a few simple outings became Get Back Outdoors, a seedling non-profit, 100% volunteer organization delivering happiness, confidence and connection to disabled veterans two by two. Get Back Outdoors (GBO) is proving a new kind of loyalty to disabled vets: long-term commitment to their complete reintegration into outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing and whitewater rafting. The program will do whatever it takes to outfit, license, secure land, and transport themat no cost to the veterans. And its not just a single trip: GBO stays engaged with each individual for as long as it takes to connect them with the tools, skills, confidence, and the outdoor companions required to send them out of the program fully capable of continuing their activities independently of the organization. Theres not one big paint brush to cover everybody, says Larry Osmer, President. Flexibility is a necessary asset of our organization. Each person in the program has unique needs and we do whatever it takes to fully equip themphysically, mentally and emotionallyfor their chosen outdoor activity. We dont disengage with a participant until he or she is set up to enjoy the outdoors for the rest of their life. Osmer is the uncle of the late Marine Sgt. William Billy Woitowicz. Our family was devastated when we lost Billy, said Osmer. Billys legacy has been solidified by his passion for the Marine Corp and helping others in need. It is our honor to be able to carry out that mission by hosting an outing in his namesomething he would be proud to be part of. And so began the intimate connections among outdoorsmen Larry Osmer, Larry Gardner, and about a dozen disabled veterans to date. That number is growing organically as funds are raised. GBO has set up an outing for the spring of 2013 in memory of Billy. We named it the Sgt. William J. Woitowicz Memorial Outing, Osmer explains. Two honored Veterans will travel to Northern Edge Outfitters in Alberta, Canada for a week long black bear hunt, deep in the boreal forest of northern Alberta. Get Back Outdoors will cover all costs for the veterans. Any volunteer members on the outing will pay their own way. (SIDEBAR:)

New England Painting/Finishing Contractors Kick Off $100,0000 Funding Campaign


The stage is set: funds have been donated by the Painting and Finishing Employers Assn. of New England and D. C. 35 Painters & Finishers for the spring bear hunt. Our goal for 2013 is $100,000enough to help 30-35 disabled individuals regain their independence and joy of the outdoors. Donate at www.getbackoutdoors.org or phone (603) 343-3738. Ryan Flahardy is an Army Disabled Veteran. As a junior in high school, the events of 9/11 moved Ryan to enlist in the Army. According to Flahardy, the GBO program is better than any other vet affiliation. It's not some arts-and-crafts thing--they actually take you outdoors and do great things--hunting and fishing. We make connections with other vets, and that's very good. But bottom line: we have fun. I started out with the one-day Upland Hunt for American Heroes in Maine in September of 2012 and it was a blast. I cant remember ever having that much fun. Since then Ive been able to go on multiple trips with Get Back Outdoors. And now I have developed relationships with other disabled vets who like to go hunting together. It's been great for my wife and kids too. When they see me grinning from ear to ear they feel happier. Another incredible thing about the GBO people is that they don't' ask questions. They just do anything that's necessary to get us out having fun. They make accommodations for wheelchairs--whatever will make it work. I could NEVER afford to do these trips otherwise. Vets don't make a lot of money. We do get enough to feed our families, but there's no way a trip like this would be in my future without GBO. This gives me something really great to look forward to--the fun and camaraderie, and the peace and quite of nature."

It's Fantastic. My days out with Get Back Outdoors have been my happiest days in the past decade, asserts Ryan Flahardy.

Larry Osmer has been leading youth outings for years. It was a natural evolution to give back to the vets after he lost his nephew. "When we can do something in our loved one's name that is therapeutic for everyoneits not work. This is easy. It was, in fact, natural for Osmer to share the story of the bear hunt with his friend Tom Steeves, who is a director of the Building Trades Employers Association (BTEA) and Vice President of the Painting Finishing Employers Association of New England (PFEANE). Steeves is also the Vice President of T.J. McCartney Co., a member-contractor of both groups. When Larry described the memorial outing to mehow all the money raised goes directly to the veterans experienceI knew this was the real deal, explained Steeves. I took the idea directly to Tom Gunning, our Executive Director, to push for a significant donation. Gunning gave an immediate thumbs-up for funds and asked the District 35 Painters and Finishers to join in a labor-management effort to match the funds approved by Gunning. District 35 Business Manager Jeff Sullivan agreed, and Get Back Outdoors had the funding needed to host Billys memorial bear hunt. This isnt about a one-time vacation, adds Osmer. Its about totally

reintegrating these vets into their love of the outdoorsin this case, hunting. Flexibilty is a must for the organization. Its R.O.A.R. (Recreational Outdoor Alliance & Reintegration) division is run by Larry Gardner and Matt Lyons. Lyons is a C4-5 quadriplegic, with 22 years experience hunting from a chair. Gardner is a retired sports medicine and orthopedic physical therapist R.O.A.R. is not an outfitter, because the veterans in this program arent able to be outfitted yet, explains Gardner. These people aren't field-ready. They may have spinal cord injuries, or are amputees. They present real mobility issues.

GBO Board Member, Matt Lyons, has 22 years of experience hunting from a chair. He helps run the Get Back Outdoors R.O.A.R. Program. Matt is also a union member. GBO volunteers, Dan Warren (left) and Scott Yardley (right) spent many hours preparing, scouting and assisting GBO with Matts spring turkey hunt.

For the R.O.A.R. participants we start with 1-day trips within 30 miles of home so that we can go and get back that same night. We do a lot of work prior to going out, to be sure the terrain is navigable in their chairs. We also help them find the right chairs and other adaptive equipment. For instance, if a vet can perform a chest press, they can

self-propel in a Renegade Wheelchair. If not, they need an automated Action Trac chair. We dont have the funds to provide these, but well help them find what they need. Sometimes we can find terrain that will work for someone using a standard hospital wheelchair. A single candidate in the R.O.A.R. program will require volunteers to recruit landowners; aid in licensure, firearm safety, clothing and access assessment; and help with pre-season scouting and field trials before actually getting into the field to hunt or fish. Gardner explains, Our long-term goal for R.O.A.R. candidates is to help them complete reintegration and then take a trip through the Get Back Outdoors outfitters program. For some it may take three seasons. Thats OK. R.O.A.R. candidates are encouraged to embrace risk in small doses. Then they learn to reassume some risk in their lives. That increases their level of confidence, step by step. Gardner adds, "There's no veteran we can't get through the programwe just might have to take a little more time."
End note: On June 7, 2011, 23 year old Sgt. William Billy Woitowicz was serving as a combat adviser for the Afghan Local Police to secure the Taliban controlled village of Panerak. Billy exposed himself to direct enemy fire to enable his team to withdraw to a rock wall for protection. While Woitowicz was climbing over the rock wall to safety after saving his teammates, he was mortally wounded. Billy was awarded the Silver Star for combat valor for his actions. Helping others in need is his legacy and Get Back Outdoors will carry out that mission. Ryan Flahardy lives with his wife, Hannah, his 9-year old daughter Lesley, and 2-year old son Malachi. He and Hannah are expecting another child. They reside in Merrimac, Mass. about 40 minutes outside Boston.

_____________________________________________ For more information: Building Trades Employers Association: http://www.btea.com Painting & Finishing Employers Association of New England: http://www.paintandglass.org District Council 35 Painters & Finishers: http://www.iupatdc35.org/ Get Back Outdoors: http://www.getbackoutdoors.org

Northern Edge Outfitting: http://www.northernedgeoutfitting.com

* "Active Duty Military Personnel Strengths by Regional Area and by Country (309A)". United States Department of Defense. December 31, 2011.

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