Back to the Keys with a special first Wesley House trip
It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since my father’s passing. In those five years, his Foundation has partnered with Make A Wish, the Outdoor Dream Foundation, and the VA Hospital of Miami. Like Jose, we are always looking for new relationships to broaden the diversity of individuals while still staying true to what […]
“You take this one, I’m catching all the fish” – Alex’s story
Guest post from Jeremy Wilkerson, Director of Community Development, Wesley House Family Services. Wesley House is a Foundation partner and nationally accredited not-for-profit organization dedicated to protecting and nurturing children, and strengthening families. Wow, what a day. Alex had a great time. We were all concerned about the weather, but the sun broke through the clouds and pushed […]
Lifelong Memories, Friendships for Braden and His Family
We recently had the opportunity to conduct a trip with an incredible young man, Braden Waymire, and his family. Below is an email we received from Tim Waymire which summarizes the experience in their words. I need to preface this email with the following disclaimer: I am not a talkative person and I do not […]
Darrell’s Offshore Dream Comes True
On April 6, 2016 the Bolt family’s lives changed forever. They learned that their son, Darrell, had a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) brain tumor, which is found in a part of the brain stem called the pons. The pons controls essential bodily functions such as heartbeat, breathing, swallowing, eye movement, eyesight and balance. Since […]
December 18, 2015 Veterans Trip
Du was the first to arrive for our final 2015 Veterans Trip. He’s originally from Vietnam. The other veterans – Joey, Thomas, Vega, and Brandon- showed up relatively at the same time. Du, the eldest of the group (guaranteeing him the biggest room) has multiple talents. He wrote a book about his life and gave […]
Ladies Veterans Trip – December 2015
2015 was an interesting year. The three previous years were pretty much dedicated to work. Whether it was the Foundation, apparel, or production work it all kept my attention. It helped keep me busy and work through my grief. The year 2015 was different. I was getting married! Dave and I had been together since […]
Jake’s Reunion Trip
Jake had been on a Foundation fishing trip before. What did he think of it? His words say it best; “It was the trip of a lifetime, that’s for sure. It made all of my dreams come true, lifted my spirits and helped me through all that was going on. It made me forget that […]
Veterans Jose, Ernesto, and Alvero’s Fishing Dream Comes True
I met the guys at their temporary home in Summerland Key. With an ocean view, hammock, kayaks, and snorkeling available in the back yard they were pumped. This trip was special for a number of reasons. One reason, Tabitha was going to be there. She is the woman I coordinate veteran’s trips with from […]
Jake’s Saltwater Fishing Dream Comes True
The Foundation works with other organizations to recommend recipients to us. Networking is essential for smaller groups such as ours and as president I am always open to connecting with people who share our core mission. I received an e-mail from Brad Jones who works with the Outdoor Dream Foundation in South Carolina. They are […]
Veterans Jason, Andrew, Jeremy, and Hipilito’s Trip
Planning of the trip…. Every trip the Foundation plans takes a lot of coordination. Sometimes this works seamlessly, sometimes not so much. For the veterans trip in December some of the dates got mixed up between Captain Mike Weinhoffer (who was originally going to do the trip) our vets, and myself. Needless to say Mike […]
