Ducks Unlimited Green Wing Program:

Ducks Unlimited hosted a fishing event for children at the Rim Lake Education Center on 17 Sep 06. The NCWRC dedicated the John Pechman education center at 1300 (1PM) that day. We expected approximately  500-700 children and their parents to attend. DU had all the food, drink and logistics taken care of. The members of the Powers Swain Fishing Team assisted the children with tackle, fishing and removing fish from hooks. The event was a catch and release only. This was a great opportunity for the Fishing Team to assist DU in a great event. Media coverage was included print, TV and radio. We provided all the equipment and each child got a T-shirt, rod and reel and goody bag. For any additional information about this event or any future events, contact fellow Fishing Team Member Joe Kilgore at  joe.kilgore@inovatech.edu.

Welding school in Qalat takes a new direction

Blackanthem Military News, QALAT, Afghanistan, June 30, 2006

 
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Wilkes oversees a student as he welds the floor frames for the first six footbridges to be delivered in Zabul Province. A new project is underway at the Qalat Provincial Reconstruction Team’s welding trade school. On June 18, students and instructors began construction on the first of six steel footbridges. (Photo by Air Force Capt. Kevin G. Tuttle, Qalat Provincial Reconstruction Team)

Students at the Qalat Provincial Reconstruction Team’s welding trade school began construction on June 18 on the first of six steel footbridges.

Seven experienced welders were matched with 20 students to construct the bridges. Additionally, four recent graduates students helped instruct the new class of aspiring welders and assisted with the projects.

"This is a great program for the students to get involved," said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Wilkes, of the 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, who is the PRT’s first sergeant and lead instructor at the welding school.

Wilkes expressed that the most difficult part of instructing the class is communication.

"I come in and show them what I want done, but I have to keep them on the right track, which is where my interpreter comes into play," he said. "Without him, I couldn’t communicate."

Some students may think the rules and requirements at the welding school are strict, but according to Wilkes, attending class is the key to learning the skill of welding.

"My number one rule is that the students have to go to school. The same rules applied for any student or employees," said Wilkes, from Southern Pines, N.C.

Ubiadullah, 22, an instructor at the facility, was a student himself not too long ago. He learned about the welding program while taking a driving class at the PRT.

Ubiadullah has been a welder for 10 years but decided there was more to learn about welding and became part of this program.
 
A student at the Qalat Provincial Reconstruction Team welding class cuts a piece of angle iron to size for the floor panels of the first footbridge. A new project is underway at the Qalat Provincial Reconstruction Team’s welding trade school. On June 18, students and instructors began construction on the first of six steel footbridges. (Photo by Air Force Capt. Kevin G. Tuttle, Qalat Provincial Reconstruction Team)

The first bridge is scheduled to be completed in June. The footbridges can reach a maximum of 60 feet in length and 5 feet wide, and cost a total of $13,000 to complete, including delivery to the site. They are constructed in about 7-foot increments to minimize the difficulty of building a bridge to fit over any gap.

Upon completion, the bridge will be painted green - the symbolic color of Islam.

"I’m happy with this project. I’m busy working and helping the Zabul province," Ubiadullah said. "I’m also teaching the students, which I love to do."

As part of the team, Ubiadullah believes that there is a bright future for the welding program and is proud to be a part of it.

"The welding class is going very well. Students are learning and we’re the best class in the PRT," he said.

Students, from age 11 to 17 years old, work enthusiastically both as they learn and in building the bridges, said Wilkes.

"I’m excited because I’m learning and the instructors teach us clearly and well," said Noorul Haq, a student currently enrolled in the welding program. "I want to be a welder in the future."

Wilkes said it’s important the school provides a base of valuable skills. The trade knowledge must be used and passed on by the local Afghan people, he said.

"One way to do this is to encourage the students to start their own business," Wilkes said. "One of my goals is to get Ubiadullah into his own shop, so he can hire his own instructors and start his own business and do everything himself."

 

By Air Force Capt. Kevin G. Tuttle
Qalat Provincial Reconstruction Team

 

 

Warriors On the Water
05/19/2006-Shearon Harris Lake, NC



Airmen and Soldiers blast off with local anglers in the Warriors on the Water bass tournament May 19, 2006 on Shearon Harris Lake


Anglers watch as a nice Shearon Harris largemouth is weighed

Joining the veteran bass fishermen on their boats were veterans of another kind — Airmen and Soldiers who had returned from or who were about to deploy in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.

 

The event, called Warriors on the Water, is the first of its kind in North Carolina . It’s the brainchild of three local anglers who served in the Air Force and Army during Operation Desert Storm.

 

“We want to show our appreciation to the troops because we’ve been there,” said Hal Abshire, one of the tournament’s main organizers.

 

The original idea was to take out a few service members for a day of fishing, but after just six weeks of planning, it turned into much more.

 

Mr. Abshire and his fellow organizers, Greg Lahr and Bob Cunningham, took their idea to their local bass fishing clubs. Before they could even decide which day to hold the event, people were volunteering to participate.

 

“We had to turn boats away because we’re limited to the number we’re allowed to fish on a permit,” said Mr. Cunningham.

 

Many of the volunteers have links to the military. Some spent entire careers in the Air Force, some spent a few years in the Army and one is an active-duty Marine.

 

When Mr. Abshire sent an e-mail out to solicit sponsors for the event, he said it wasn’t two hours before his inbox was full of people wanting to lend a hand.

 

“One company donated shirts for each participant,” he said. “When I thanked them for their help, they said ‘These are our heroes and this is our chance to say thank you.’”

 

Sponsors from as far away as Washington and as close as Yadkin Road donated to the tournament. Their generosity not only allowed the Airmen and Soldiers to walk away with loads of goodies, but it also meant the troops didn’t have to supply anything but their fishing licenses.

 

The boats sped out onto the lake as the sun began to rise. Within minutes, the crowd of anxious anglers was out of sight and trolling the waters for the perfect bass.

 

Some of the troops were experienced fishermen – knowing the ins and out of the many types of lures, strategies and habits of the fish. For others, it was their first time on a bass fishing boat and even their first time casting a fishing rod.

 

“I’ve been bass fishing for as long as I can remember,” said Capt. Mike McCleish, U.S. Army Special Operations Command.

 

His fishing partner, John Nunn, a retired chief from the 23rd Fighter Group, chuckled as he sent a shiny lure out over the water. “I’ve got socks that have been fishing longer than him.”

 

The two had a good day on the lake. Despite the 15-pound anchor Captain McCleish reeled in, they came in fourth place at the end of the day.

 

Not everyone had such a lucky day.

 

Ten-year Air Force veteran and 3rd Aerial Port Squadron rigger James Hurr and his partner Army Staff Sgt. Michael Thetchampa, 30th Engineer Battalion, had a long morning with no bites.

 

Despite their luck, the pair didn’t lose sight of the significance of the day’s event.

 

“Being on the lake like this — this is freedom,” said Mr. Hurr. “What the troops do allows us to be out here.”

 

Sergeant Thetchampa said he didn’t realize how much people cared about those serving in the Global War on Terrorism.

 

“I got back from Iraq a couple of months ago and it seems like you only hear the negative about what’s happening over there,” he said. “This event shows me we’re appreciated in more ways than one.”

 

Roger Baylours, a bass fisherman for 15 years and a Vietnam veteran, said he volunteered for the tournament for two reasons. “The first reason’s for him,” he said, pointing at the Army sergeant sharing his boat. “The second is that I wish someone could’ve done it for me.”

 

Each of the boats flew an American flag and had a yellow ribbon tied to it. At the end of the day, the bass were measured, weighed and released back into the lake.

 

In the end, despite the wins or losses in the battles with the bass, the veterans both young and old couldn’t help but remember what had brought them together.

 

“We know it’s not just about God and country,” said Army Capt. Shawn Dalrymple. “It’s about the guy on your right and the guy on your left.”

 

The event gave all of them a chance to support, thank and learn from one another.

 

Mr. Abshire said the organizers are already looking forward to planning an even larger tournament next year.

 

 

Katrina Relief Efforts

(Sep. 20, 2005 - Celebration, FL.)... There have been many heart-warming stories about Americans coming together to help improve the lives of Hurricane Katrina victims along the Gulf Coast. And that includes the efforts of several CITGO Bassmaster pros.
 
Former CITGO Bassmaster Classic champion Robert Hamilton was among the first to leap into action. Helping out was especially important to Hamilton, who recently moved from hurricane-stricken Mississippi to Nashville, Tenn.
 
"We started out trying to get boats in there to help rescue people (in New Orleans)," he said. "By the time we got a bunch of stuff ready from Mercury and Triton, (state and federal officials) didn’t want people going in that didn’t have a gun and a badge.
 
"So we shifted and started collecting money. Through the churches, we’ve raised thousands and thousands of dollars and bought all kinds of stuff with it. People have just come out of the woodwork to help, which is really cool. We’ve now taken five trailerloads of stuff down there with water, food and baby products. As things change, different types of things are needed.
 
"All of our stuff has gone to Mississippi. When we got the first truckload to Hattiesburg (two weeks ago), they said we were the first truck to hit the ground down there. I’ve been all the way to the beach where everything has just been leveled. It’s been real satisfying to be able to help out."
 
Former CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year Gerald Swindle also launched an effort to make a difference. His relief endeavor was aimed at both rescuers and families in need.
 
Swindle solicited help from fellow pros Marty Stone, Kevin VanDam, Kevin Wirth, Stephen Browning, Scott Suggs, Kevin Short and Mike Wurm, as well as Loudmouth Bass’ Mark Zona. Also helping were Steve Bowman, Jerry McKinnis and Tommy Sanders from the Little Rock, Ark., video production company JM Associates.  Together, they gathered and delivered meals to the devastated city of Gulfport. Various family members and friends also joined in.
 
The core of the volunteers added a new dimension to the Angel Anglers program, a group of anglers who visit hospitals near tournament sites to cheer up patients.
 
Swindle, who has family ties to the storm-ravaged portion of Mississippi, and his hurricane relief volunteers quickly collected about $190,000 worth of food, new clothes and needed products.
 
In Gulfport, Swindle estimates that his group delivered two 18-foot truckloads of products and then cooked about 1,000 hot dogs and 1,000 hamburgers, which were eagerly accepted by firefighters and their families, National Guardsmen and other military personnel, Red Cross volunteers and others. The group worked about 38 hours with little sleep.
 
"I was really proud of the guys that went with me," Swindle said. "I was remarkably impressed at the help that showed up. All I had was an idea, and a few phone calls and four days later, we hit the ground with 40 to 45 people helping. That’s when I realized how amazing the group of people is that I’m associated with.
 
"This was probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we’ll have to help people that really, really needed it."

Powers-Swain Chevrolet was proud to be able to help with this project.
 

Fishing for the Kids:

This event was held at Falls Lake NC to raise funds for Special Olympics North Carolina. Powers-Swain Chevrolet was the major sponsor for this event. $9,000 was raised in this one day event. There was 139 teams that participated in this event. Several members of the Powers-Swain Chevy Fishing team participated in the event. Pay out was to the top 25 teams. Two teams that were in the top 25 were from the Powers-Swain Chevy Fishing Team. Finishing 24th was the team of Roger Baylous and Bob Cunningham. Finishing in 7th place was the team of Hal Abshire  and Rich Szczerbala. There to receive the check was the very grateful President of Special Olympics North Carolina, Mr. Keith Fishburn. He had two Special Olympics Athletes with him to help him receive the honor.

Rich Szczerbala, WC Powers and Hal Abshire

Roger Baylous and Bob Cunningham

Ducks Unlimited Green Wing Program:

There is a program called Green Wing, which was started in order to give kids of ages 7 to 17 to get a better chance at hands on experience of conservation. This project gets more kids involved and by doing this, they see how preservation of habitat benefits everyone. It also gives the kids a chance to learn about different kinds of waterfowl and how they can be identified in the wild. The kids can also attend Green Wing gatherings that take place all over and participate in such activities as nest box building, archery, fishing and canoeing .
This year's local event was at Lake Rim Fish Hatchery. It was attended by over 650 children and their families who experienced a day of fishing, BB Gun shooting and other fun. The Green Beret Parachute Team parachuted in and the Lumber River Retriever Club conducted working dog demonstrations with retrievers. It is estimated that around 1700 people participated in this event. Joe Kilgore was in charge of this event. He is quoted as saying "We feel this was one of the best events ever, and it would not have happened without you." This was in response to Powers Swain being a major sponsor of this worth while event. Also helping with the event were team members Tom and Britt Kuchen, Chuck McAuthur and Don Wenger.