Planning a Montana fishing trip for June-July!
We have also sent the following letter out to Ryan Zinke, Secretary of the Interior:
Dear Mr. Zinke,
I represent a private group of Veterans who have erected a meeting place for fellow Veterans, families and neighbors to gather for events and develop helpful projects for Veterans in need.
Here at the Fort Villanow Veterans Project we have a great summer Survival Camp for kids. We feel it very important to instill in these kids minds the importance of our country, our flag, the duty of our military and even our police. It is taught by caring Veterans. All volunteers who served from the Korean War, Viet Nam, Iraq to coming home from duty this year. All have specific skills to share.
Our “western style town” has grown into a community project, all owned and operated by Veterans and local business and private contributions, not from the government. We work with a non-profit status horse group which sponsors horse activities to help with PTSD. We organize local fishing, turkey shoots, dove hunts, camping, trips to museums, to Washington, DC and military cemeteries.
We are in a small community of Villanow located in the northwest Georgia mountains. We are on a scenic highway with lots of civil war history all around us from Chickamauga to La Fayette, to Tunnell Hill and Resaca. We have over 45 Veterans and 60 neighbors helping us.
Now….the reason for my letter to you.
Here is what I am hopes that you will help us with. We would like to “reward” these volunteer Veterans with one trip a year out west to Montana to fish or hunt alternating the years. They cannot afford to pay the high cost for out of state license. Big game is around $1,000. and fishing for a two-day permit is $50.00 for nonresident. These guys can’t even afford the trip, let alone these kinds of fees.
Our plans are to provide the means of travel with other volunteers and vehicles. These Veterans are honorable served and honorable discharged with 90% being combat veterans.
We would like to provide this opportunity free of charge for up to 5 Veterans a year.
All I am asking is the hunting and fishing licenses be waived for five Veterans per year for Veterans from Ft. Villanow.
I have sent out numerous letters to departments of several states, Wildlife and Game, Governors, etc. I have tried for over a year. All I have received is the run around. So, what am I asking and why did we choose Montana?
We have a good connection with a combat Veteran in Cameron, Montana with a beautiful place on the Madison River. He is willing to host 3 to 5 veterans a year. He has a fishing boat, gear and experience to host such an event and room for camping. His passion is fly fishing. His name is Colonel Bryant Harp, who served in Viet Nam. He has contacted several other veterans and business owners in his area who would like to be involved. He suggested that we contact you.
One of our Veteran members visited the Colonel in 2017 and promoted our project from Georgia to Montana with hotels, restaurants, car dealers, Harley shops and camping sites to help with the travel.
We believe this would be a great incentive, or reward, for these Veterans who are helping kids and their fellow Veterans. This would be a trip of a lifetime for them !
We have a simple website that I am in hopes you or a staff member will review and respond to our worthy cause. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated !!!
Respectfully,
Tony Dyer, Army
20 year service, retired
Fort Villanow Veterans Project
14013 East Hwy 136
La Fayette, Georgia 30728
(706)397-8860 or 8909
ftvillanow@gmail.com