Take a Soldier Fishing

[DarkSkies]

Here's the latest update on the TASF Program and Mike Nashif, guys. They took a bunch of soldiers and their families to a hockey game. From the pics, looks like they all had a great time. WTG, Mike and crew!

A little about the event:

Working along side Patrick Sowers and Operation Once in a Lifetime we were able to take 40 soldiers and some of their family members to the Dallas Stars Hockey Game. The dinner at Hooters in Plano was donated by Hooters as well as the hockey tickets that, for some, was their first hockey game ever.

The families were set up on the Sterling Hotel in Dallas where they were picked up by a 34 passenger bus and a wonderful bus driver Ronnie. The bus was donated by Wynne Sedan & Limousine who has pledged their support for CWCN Hooters and the Dallas Stars have pledged their support for Operation Once in a Lifetime.

When you put the two of our organizations together....the soldiers and their families will have a memory of a lifetime. For more information on the programs offered like this please visit the following websites and learn more and how you can get involved to change a life. Thank you, Mike Nashif

[stripermania]

Paralyzed vets group enjoys day of fishing


By Henry Miller • Statesman Journal
September 3, 2009
By Henry Miller • Statesman Journal • September 3, 2009

DEPOE BAY — "Should I make a grunting sound when you're reeling it in for me?" Toney Marx said jokingly as he wrestled with permanently half-clenched hands to hand off the bobbing fishing rod to Scott Shelton of Albany.

Shelton, Marx's longtime friend and fishing assistant, grinned as he cranked up the black rockfish. No sound effects needed.
You get a lot of that kind of humor when you're on a half-day ocean charter fishing with members of the Oregon Paralyzed Veterans of America. About half of them, including Marx, are in wheelchairs.

He's the president of the OPVA, which is headquartered in Salem.
"They got me by doughnuts," Marx said jokingly about his elevation to the post. "They said, 'We've got an apple fritter. Want to come to a meeting?' So I did ... and they made me president."
It's been more than a decade of shopworn jokes, rockfish and crabs and helping the "Coasties" from the Coast Guard station lift the wheelchairs onto and out of his boat, said skipper Darrell Hobbs of Tradewinds Charters Depoe Bay.

"Let's see, I got this boat in '96, and it the year after that," Hobbs said about the three to four trips a year chartered by the OPVA on the 50-foot Kadaho.

It's a dedicated group of anglers, he added.
"I tell you what, I've only had one or two trips canceled," Hobbs said, that despite high seas, drenching rain and roaring wind. "It's a great bunch of guys, it really is."
The ocean and weather were not a problem on this trip, the last of the season.

The ocean was almost pond-like as the Kadaho motored north, dropping off 10 crab pots en route to a rockfish reef about three-quarters of a mile straight out from Chinook Winds Casino in Lincoln City.

The Oregon Paralyzed Veterans go to bat on disability claims and lobby and fight for people with disabilities on issues such as access and opportunities.

But outings such as fishing and hunting trips and competitive sports from trap and rifle shooting teams to wheelchair basketball are a way of showing the disabled that they can get back in the game.

"Our biggest thing is to get people out of their house," Marx said. "Don't use your disability as an excuse not to get involved.

"It comes down to one thing; it's ability, not disability. Our goal is making a difference that lasts a lifetime."
Making a difference for people such as Steve Hickam of Salem.
"This is the first one I've been on, because I've been to sick to go on one," Hickam said about his multiple sclerosis.
He was with his son, Joe, 14, who held dual titles as both the luckiest and unluckiest angler on board the Kadaho.
Joe caught the biggest fish of the day, a massive, toothy 31-pound, 6-ounce lingcod.
On the flip side, he also was one of the few anglers on board who didn't buy into the winner-take-all big-fish side pot for $5.
"It was a hitchhiker; that's what we call it," said first mate Gene Stump of Toledo.
Hickam had hooked a rockfish, and the lingcod had grabbed ahold of it, tenacious as a gila monster all the way into the net, Stump explained.
Thanks to some quick net work, Hickam got a two-fer. Both fish made it onto the boat.
His young age didn't spare the youngest angler aboard from a little verbal abuse, though.
"He brought that with him when he came on board in his backpack," one offered. "I saw it."
"It's not real. It's inflatable," another offered.

It was the boat ride with the group for Bill Gray of Coos Bay, despite participating in other OPVA-sponsored sports.
"This is my first time down," he said, then smiled. "On a day like today, you can't beat it."
Another Navy vet and avid angler who owns his own boat, Paul Dahlke of Gresham, said he was on the fence for awhile before giving the half-day fishing trip a try.

"I've know about it for awhile, but it took me awhile to commit," he said. "I haven't done this since I was a kid.
From skiing, sledding and snowmobiling to whitewater rafting and boating, if someone wants to try it, the OPVA will try to make it happen, Marx said.
The baskets began to fill with rockfish.
"One more spot," Hobbs said, maneuvering the boat for one more pass before heading back for the crab pots.
(3 of 3)

Two, no three, more black rockfish were hoisted over the side.


"It just goes to show that we can do anything," said Bob Brush of Lakewood, Wash. "But I think a lot of people are afraid to test the waters."
One thing that you find out when you end up in a chair is that you can't take anything for granted.
"Every day's a gift," he said. "You don't put off anything anymore."
And you find it hard to feel sorry for yourself when you watch one sporting event in which the guys in power chairs were so disabled that the only way to maneuver was a "sip-and-puff" controller using your mouth and air pressure, added Jack Howell of Newberg, the OPVA sports director.
They were using their chairs to play a full-throttle version of wheelchair rugby known as "murder ball" at the national games, Howell said.
"It makes you think 'nothing's wrong with me,' " he said, adding, "I figure the more I do, the less I think about my problems."
Howell's story, like many aboard the Kadaho, was not without a touch of irony.
The military decorations stickers on the back of his chair included a Purple Heart.

"I was wounded twice in Vietnam, but that didn't put me in the chair," he said. "A motorcycle accident did."
He thought for a minute.
"Actually," Howell said. "I think I do more now than I did before I was hurt."


http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps...=2009909030334

[DarkSkies]

I got this e-mail from Mike Nashif, a member here who's involved in the "Take a Soldier Fishing" program. Mike, I just wanted to thank you and your wife for all you do, God Bless you and your family :




Hello everyone. Some of you may get this email a couple of times due to the way that my Outlook is set up, please forgive me. Our operations are based next to Ft Hood and this tragedy hits very close to home. For anyone that has a passion for the military men and women this type of thing hits hard. Especially if you know someone that is stationed here. I am sending out this email as a way that you can make a specific difference in the lives of the victims of this shooting. We are asking for monetary donations to directly help the families that are affected. There are a number of organizations that are showing support and we all know that the holidays are coming soon. Some of these families will be without someone, making it even more difficult. Children will need gifts, turkey dinners, Christmas dinners and so on. You get the picture. If anyone of you know who I am, you know that I hate the need to be RE-active VS. being PRO-active but here we are as the picture unfolds before us. The fact of the matter is there are families that now have someone missing and they need our support. Forget the media for now and they why and the how come and let's band together and make a difference. Together we can make a difference in these soldiers and families life. They were brought to the war front prematurely and without being armed and no one ever says that is bound to happen...but it did. Now is the time to be reactive and help who we can right now and let our soldiers overseas know that America is still behind them no matter where they are.
Please pass this email around to all of your friends and to their friends and so on. Please donate to help this effort so that we can help these families. This is what we are about -- SOLDIERS HELPING SOLDIERS --
Please keep these soldiers and their families in your heart and prayers.
We will be accepting donations to support the families in the aftermath to help them pick up the pieces and help them move forward. When making a donation please annotate "FT HOOD" on the donation.
For PayPal or Credit Card you can go here:
http://www.takeasoldierfishing.com/donate.asp
If mailing a check please make the check out to:
Combat Warrior Crisis Network
3450 FM 1829
Gatesville, Tx 76528
Together we can make a difference!
Mike Nashif
Founder/President




Respectfully,
Mike Nashif - President
Combat Warrior Crisis Network
www.combatwarriorcrisisnetwork.org
www.takeasoldierfishing.org
www.takeasoldierhunting.org
Freedom Isn't Free!

[DarkSkies]

Bump for Mike Nashif and the Take a Soldier Fishing program. He's now branched out into other services for returning soldiers, among them the combat Warrior Crisis Network.

Mike is the one guy who originally created this concept and the first to make it into a national program. There have been others inspired by Mike's ideas as well. But without Mike and his relentless promoting of these programs, I estimate there would be a lot less national interest in programs like this.

You can check some of them out below:

Combat Warrior Crisis Network
www.combatwarriorcrisisnetwork.org
www.takeasoldierfishing.org
www.takeasoldierhunting.org
Freedom Isn't Free!

I'm registered on Mike's site as someone who will take soldiers out for a night of surf fishing.

This is just a reminder for Mike's site, and a further offer to take active duty soldiers out in the night surf while the fishin is good now.

I could also offer to take a disabled Veteran or handicapped Vet night fishing at the Keansburg Pier in Keansburg, NJ, my treat.

Thanks to all Vets for your service to our country.

Contact me through the site's e-mail if anyone has an interest.

[DarkSkies]

Here's the latest news from Mike Nashif and friends....

Take a Soldier Fishing The Official Newsletter

Welcome to the Official Newsletter of Take a Soldier Fishing. We have grown over the years to the point where we think it would be best to now offer a newsletter to our faithful and Patriotic followers on a monthly basis to those of you that wish to keep abreast of things that will be going on with TASF. Periodically, we will send out information that has to do with helping Soldiers with certain issues such as VA help or information regarding the AW2 program for our Wounded Warriors. If you have information and would like to share it please send us an email. We would be happy to pass along the information in the next upcoming issue. Please send your suggestions to info@takeasoldierfishing.com


TASF Sam Rayburn October 2, 2010

Above, you see our soldier and his boater, Frank Polley, with the winning fish for the day. This mini lunker won our soldier a custom made fishing pole with case and a Quantum KVD series reel worth over $600!

Take a Soldier Fishing's schedule is quickly coming to a close, but not before a couple more Fall events. This year we made the decision to move one of our annual events from Toledo Bend Res. to Lake Sam Rayburn.

We were able to bring in 30+ soldiers and family members from both Ft Polk, LA and Ft Hood, TX. Most of our soldiers arrived by bus from Ft Polk and the families that joined us for the weekend came from the Ft Hood area. We had great food provided by Smith International and Halliburton for our Friday and Saturday evening suppers. Everybody enjoyed the wonderful weather and the fun day of fishing as well as Kampfire Karaoke, Pong, and cards as the evening drew to a close.

If it weren't for our volunteer boaters, then TASF would be a bunch of bank fishermen. Thank you to all of our boaters, not just this event, for taking the time to give these soldiers and their families a day to remember. We understand what you have to go through in order to do this and how much it can cost. It truly is your hearts and time that help set TASF apart from other organizations. Thank You!
I would like to send out a thank you to our sponsors for their continued support of this event.

Shell Oil Co., Baker Hughes, NOV Brandt, Check 6, Smith Bits, Halliburton, San Augustine VFW, City of Broaddus, First Baptist Church of Broaddus, San Augustine County, IESI, Donny Dickerson, Weatherford Gameco, Weatherford Casing, Subsurface Tools, EnviroChem, BJ Services, MI Swaco, Gulfstream Services, Circulation Tools, Jackson Hill Marina.

<A name=LETTER.BLOCK10 rel=nofollow>TASF Montauk, NY October 10, 2010

This is the 2nd year that John Vanneck of Rye, NY has organized an event off Long Island, NY. John approached me a couple years ago wanting to know how he could get involved, he had some time, friends with boats and some military contacts. We helped him get together all the right paperwork, helped him get the word out and helped him gain sponsors. It is hard work putting one of these events together and bringing it all together for one glorious day. This year the event had to be rescheduled due to a tropical storm that pounded the East Coast with heavy rains and wind with high waves. It was finally rescheduled for October 10, 2010 and they were able to take 30+ soldiers out for a day of fishing. Below you will see a picture of 1SG Marc Maynard with the biggest striped bass of the day, stretching the scales at 40 pounds.

John has been learning along the way of all the things that could go wrong - will, and things that should have been done - aren't. Keep up the good work and hold your head high because you stand out among the crowd as one of our coordinators. As the rest of the world reads about taking soldiers out for a day of fishing, you have made it happen. Thank you to all of the sponsors that helped make this a day to remember for these soldiers. I also want to thank the boaters that participated. I know that all or most of the boaters participated in last years event as well. Great job and keep up the great work!
<A name=LETTER.BLOCK11 rel=nofollow>TASF Naples, FL September 16, 2010

This is the first year that we have had a sanctioned event in Naples, Florida. I was contacted by Capt Mike Prescott about wanting to do something for the soldiers and with the help of Nancy Loyd, Roland Martin and a handful of others, the event was a smash success.

They had 53 soldiers attend the event from Mc Dill AFB. The local fire department brought out several fire trucks and hung the flag from their extended ladders.


Roland Martin took time away from his busy schedule to break away and go out fishing with our soldiers.

The out pouring of support from the surrounding communities made it possible to make this entire trip free for all of those that attended. Thank you! With out your support and efforts this organization could not exist.

Battle of the Branches Set for 2011

We are excited to announce the first annual "Battle of the Branches" bass fishing tournament set for fall of
November 12- 13, 2011. The tournament's primary purpose is to raise money for wounded soldiers and their families. The other purpose is to show case Sam Rayburn and areas of deep east Texas. The tournament will be a two day event with anglers competing for a two day total weight (10 legal bass) to win the big prize of $20,000 and bragging rights for their branch of service.

Each angler that participates must be a Veteran of one of the 5 branches of service - Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, or Air Force - and you must provide a scanned copy of your state issued DL or ID card along with your Military ID card or your DD214. This will help us make sure that all of our participants are Veterans and have served our country.

The entry fee for the Battle of the Branches will be $150 per team. At the time of registration, anglers will be asked to pick the branch of service that they wish to represent. It will also create that ever-burning spark of rivalry between the branches. Once the prize payout money has been raised, we will then be able to use the entry fees collected as our fundraiser. In short, if we have 100 teams participate, we will have raised $15,000 to help start other TASF events across the country.

We are actively seeking sponsorship for this tournament and if you would like to become a sponsor please contact Mike Nashif. We have various packages available to meet your companies budgeting needs. Remember, ALL of the money raised goes to help Veterans and their families in some way and your contribution is tax deductible.

Prize money is not guaranteed at this time and will be based upon the amount of sponsorship dollars raised.

For more information, to sign up, or view the rules you can visit www.battleofthebranches.org

DONATE!

If you click the PayPal Donate button you will be asked for a contribution of $10. What we are asking from you is to contribute $10 each month that we send out this newsletter. We aren't like some of the bigger nonprofits that spend most of their money on advertising, we spend your donated dollars on our soldiers. This newsletter - donated. The website service and database - donated. Everything that you can see or read about for Take a Soldier Fishing has been donated in some way.

If every person that reads this newsletter donated $10 each month, we would be able to help soldiers with the holidays, a light bill, maybe a mortgage payment or car repairs. Most of all, you could help keep one Soldier from committing suicide or hurting someone else by supporting our events.
Along with a monetary donation you may have something in your garage or a closet that could fit into our spectrum of support. Please check out our "Wish List" of items that we can use here at our National Headquarters. What we are unable to use at HQ will be packaged up and distributed to our Sanctioned Events across the country.
Check it out!


TASF "WISH LIST"

Only two Defining Forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American GI. One died for your Soul and the other for your Freedom!

Mike Nashif
President/Founder

Take a Soldier Fishing

If you have a question or comment related to helping soldiers and you would like consideration to have it posted, please contact our staff. You can send an email to us.

For information on how you can set up a sanctioned event for Take a Soldier Fishing and get it listed on all of our media sources please send us an email.

If you are interested in advertising on our website with a banner ad for $500/year please send us an email as well. We can create or use your ad and place it where it can be seen by our 20,000+ monthly visitors.

Send all emails to info@takeasoldierfishing.com

Thank you for being part of something much bigger than we are!

Only two Defining Forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American GI. One died for your Soul and the other for your Freedom!

Mike Nashif
President/Founder

Take a Soldier Fishing

[DarkSkies]

As today is Veteran's Day, a special thanks to all soldiers who have served our country, whether in Active or Peacetime duty. Your sacrifices are greatly appreciated.

[DarkSkies]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Mike Nashif and friends....

Take a Soldier Fishing The Official Newsletter

Welcome to the Official Newsletter of Take a Soldier Fishing. We have grown over the years to the point where we think it would be best to offer a newsletter to our faithful and Patriotic followers on a monthly basis so you may keep abreast of things that will be going on with TASF. Periodically, we will send out information that has to do with helping Soldiers with certain issues such as VA help or information regarding the AW2 program for our Wounded Warriors. If you have information and would like to share it please send us an email. We would be happy to pass along the information in the next upcoming issue. Please send your suggestions to info@takeasoldierfishing.com



TASF Lake Texoma November 20, 2010

With the last event of the season already complete, I am proud to say that we have had a very successful year. During our last event we had 34 soldiers attend our Texoma Striper fishing event. 10 Striper Guides from all over the lake donated their time to take these men and women out fishing for the day. Fishing was considerably tough - even for the guides that do this for a living - but fish were still caught. The local VFW and American Legion posts both stepped up and hosted the dinners for the soldiers for Friday and Saturday evening. The
warm welcome and how everyone worked together was almost overwhelming for some of the soldiers. In all the times I have talked about these two organizations, it seems that they can agree on one thing...take care of our soldiers. Despite the VFW and American Legion being rivals when competing for local support, it is at one of our events that they seem to put their differences aside and extend a welcome hand to our younger Veterans. There were several donors that were involved with making this event run smoothly. Jerry and JoLean Dorsey were the masterminds behind this event and they were able to get their local church involved and community together for this special day. Harold Ferguson with Harold's Inspection Service was the kingpin for this event with his contributions. Tanglewood Resort also deeply discounted the rooms that the soldiers stayed in for the weekend and their staff showed their appreciation with exceptional service as well. Thanks so much to all of those who helped make this event a huge success.

[DarkSkies]

Just wanted to mention Mike's program to those who might not be aware of him, his wife, and all the good they do....Thanks Mike!

[baitstealer]

Looks like a very cool group and proud to be helping their fellow soldiers.