Local sportsmen clubs donate money for 'campfire therapy'

Teresa McMinn, Cumberland Times-News, Md.
·2 min read

Nov. 3—MOUNT SAVAGE, Md. — Two local hunting groups donated money to a veteran who provides outdoor experiences for disabled heroes.

Danny Williams of Mount Savage is president of the Piney Mountain Sportsmen Association.

The group, along with Barrelville Outdoor Club and with support from the A.J. Rost family, formed Sportsmen for Heroes to help local veterans.

"This is a conglomeration," Williams said and added the clubs raise money through events including raffles.

The local Sportsmen for Heroes is not part of the national organization by the same name, Williams said.

For the past few years, the local group has donated money to a veteran that uses the funds to help others.

Romney resident Charles Harris lost his legs after being injured in 2012 while in a U.S. Army infantry unit in Afghanistan.

Today, Harris is president of Operation Heroes Support.

The nonprofit provides outdoor experiences for disabled veterans, firefighters, police officers and first responders.

The hunting trips are free for the participants, who come primarily from the East Coast.

But more than hunting and fishing, Operation Heroes Support provides a comfortable setting where participants can share memories and experiences.

It's about camaraderie and what Harris calls "campfire therapy."

On Tuesday, Sportsmen for Heroes gave $1,000 to Operation Heroes Support.

"(Harris) has become our major outfit that we help," Williams said.

"It means a lot to us," Harris said of the annual donations. "It allows us to get more guys out into the woods ... and accomplish our mission."

A major part of that goal is to prevent suicide by connecting veterans with each other, he said.

"We appreciate everyone's support," Harris said. "(Operation Heroes Support) is not possible without everyone's donations."

Five years ago, Mike Trost participated in a turkey hunt hosted by Operation Heroes Support in Fort Ashby, West Virginia.

Trost, of Maryville, Tennessee, served in the U.S. Army for 32 years until he suffered serious injuries in 2012.

"It's good to be around like company," he said in 2017 of spending time with veterans who suffered traumatic experiences during their time in the military. "There's a bond. It's different than you have with regular friends."

The hunts "make you feel, even for one day, that there's ... nothing wrong with you," Trost said at the time. "And the people here are fantastic. They give a lot of time and energy."