If you're bored this weekend….

Head on down to Chesterwoods Park, East of Rochester on Hwy 14 – 4/5 miles past the college. The annual Veterans Hunt, with roughly 35 hunters is taking place this week, and there should be some deer to help process. Maybe a deer or two to help drag out or gut. Maybe refill some refreshments for the hunters and their families or maybe just visiting with the men and women that fought for our way of life.

Stop down to the office area after 10:00 am and tell them you want to volunteer some time. They will find a spot for you. I will be there on Sunday to help butcher and skin the deer that have been harvested. It is a very enjoyable weekend and fun to visit with our area veterans.

Here’s a couple of photo’s from last year’s event.

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Always nice to hear stories of folks giving their time to help veterans.

Wow. Thats a nice rack in the center.

Wow, what a great event. If you think of it next year, let me know ahead of time. I’d like to come down and volunteer at something like this. Instead I’m putting up Xmas lights tomorrow…

I think it is fair to say that it was another successful weekend for the Veterans. When I left at 2:00 – 2:30 yesterday around 20 deer had already been butchered and bagged up for our soldiers and their families. Mother Nature really threw a curve ball at everyone with the rains and winds on Wednesday / Thursday / Friday and then the very nice warm temps on the weekend, it really was amazing that they did as well as they did.

It is humbling to spend time with these men and women as well as inspirational to see and visit with these vets. Most guys and gals that you visit with, at least to the naked eye, are none the worst for the ware. I’m sure that all of them have overcome huge physical and mental challenges, but you never would have known without seeing the visible signs of scars/burns or the special equipment that was available to them. They were all having such a great time talking and laughing about the one that got away or the one that hit the ground. It was just as awesome to see how eager they were to get back out there if they had not filled their tag(s) yet.

I believe all of the vets that participated have already completed their tours and some more had served their full 20 (or more) and were there as part of the Olmsted County Veteran Services. One, was actually an old friend of mine that last spent time in Afghanistan in 09/10. She was there with Vet Services, where she volunteered her time and had just retired with 26 years. Never knew she even enjoyed hunting, but she was up every day at 3:00 am to be out there, and to be out there for the entire weekend to be with her mates.

An FYI for next year, this hunt is always the second week of the “A Deer Season” I will try hard to get everyone more notice next year. Sorry, only was able to take the one photo this year. The meat pole with some of the vets and volunteers in the pic.

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Thanks for the update!! What a great event!