WWIAF gears up for 16th annual event for Purple Heart recipients

NAPIER, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Purple Heart recipients will travel to a hunting club in Napier, Missouri, for an all-expenses-paid weekend.

The Wounded Warriors in Action foundation in the Missouri/Kansas chapter takes veterans hunting and trapping from Nov. 20 to 24.

"When these guys get together, they get the camaraderie, the brotherhood, sitting around the campfire telling stories about the day's hunt," Hunt Coordinator Kyle Evans said. "Just being in the outdoors, just getting to experience nature firsthand."

The veterans will stay at the Napier Hunt Club and a majority will experience duck and deer hunting for the first time, along with trapping.

All of the funds are coming locally around northwest Missouri, many businesses donated checks. A fundraiser event is scheduled for Sept. 26 at the Eagles Lodge in St. Joseph, located at 2004 N Belt Highway.

Swift Kik will play at the fundraiser, which will have a $10 cover charge. Donations will help with the costs of flights, supplies, food and more for the event. HyVee is helping with supplying food for the weekend.

"Every day we ask them what they want to do, they want to go deer hunting, duck hunting, trap and we've got the people in our corner to make it happen," Evans said. "We just show them a little bit about what we love and why we love it and a lot of them will take that back home and be able to experience the outdoors with their families."

Anyone interested in donating to the event can email chsalumnibasketball@gmail.com.

"It's a great organization, these heroes, it's all about supporting them, thanking them for their services," Evans said. "A lot of them don't want any recognition, they don't want anything special... This is just our way of giving back."