# Fishing With A Soldier "2"



## SFBigDog (Oct 4, 2011)

SF Big Dog / Rich


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## Loggerhead Mike (Oct 4, 2011)

Excellent lake choice!

Love that place


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## SFBigDog (Nov 6, 2011)

Good morning ALL

Time to kick off the 2012 "Fishing With A Soldier 2" event.

THANKS to many of you, The "Fishing With A Soldier" event we held in 2011 at Lake Douglas was a HUGE success ... Sooo here we go getting started on "Fishing With A Soldier 2" to be held at Watts Barr on April 28, 2012 at Ladds Landing. We have the pavillion and boat ramp to our selves all day long.

For those of you who don't know about this event .... We have two recruiting efforts going on at the same time. 

* First, we are looking to sign up volunteer boaters, who are willing to bring their boats and equipment to Watts Barr ... and be paired up with a Soldier or Veteran ... and spend a day on the water fishing and having fun ... and return to Ladds LAnding about 3 PM to a sit down picnic style hot meal after weigh in.

* Second, we are looking to sign up Soldiers and Veterans to be treated to a day of fun fishing, at no cost what-so-ever. This is open to all branches of service ... Active duty, Reserves, State Guard, or anyone who was in the military and honorably discharged.

There will be lots of give-a-way prizes ... Free afternoon meal ... Working on some special guests ... and a good time will be had by all. This will be a "BIG FISH" event for the soldiers and veterans ... and like last year, we will have something set-up for the volunteer boaters.

But we need YOUR help.

Please contact either of the below listed points of contact with any questions you may have, or to sign up.

We look forward to hearing from you ... and look forward to making this event bigger and better this year. Thank You in advance for your time, help, and support.

Points of Contact:

Richard Ballard
SF Big Dog
[email protected]
Cell: 423-650-1052

SFC Gary Harris
Toadslinger
[email protected]
Cell: 865-466-1622


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## SFBigDog (Nov 14, 2011)

Curtis & Shelia Bunch, of Bunch Marine in Harriman Tennessee 
have purchased a booth at the 2012 Fishing Show in Knoxville, and donated it to 
the "Fishing With A Soldier" event. 

So we will be there ALL four days to answer questions, conduct pre-registration for 
volunteer boaters, Soldier's, and Veterans. 

Please stop by and see us .... We will be looking forward to seeing and talking with you. 

Curtis & Shelia Bunch THANK YOU !!!!!


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## SFBigDog (Jan 6, 2012)

Good morning TinBoats !!!!

Time for the "Big Push"
We only have 112 days till the event takes place.

We had a tremendous amount of help and support last year ... and want to make this years event bigger and better.

Remember who this event is for ... Our Soldiers and Veterans
And remember what they have done and continue to do for us each and every day. One day of our time and equipment in an effort to say "Thank You" in a small way is not asking too much.

Step right up to the plate, and lets show them how we feel.

Thank YOu in advance for your time and help ... and please feel free to call or e-mail me with any questions or concerns you may have.

Rich / SF Big Dog


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## SFBigDog (Jan 9, 2012)

*Good morning !!!

Fishing With A Soldier is on FaceBook now.

https://www.facebook....0814945?sk=wall 


SF Big Dog*


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## SFBigDog (Jan 10, 2012)

Good evening TinBoats

We have found a vendor who is going to make these quality "Fishing With A Soldier" hats .... with our logo embroideried on the front ... and found a sponsor who is going to purchase 150 of them for us (Pioneer Credit Company) to be given away to ALL Soldiers, Veterans, & Volunteer Boaters on event day .... Register now ... show up early, they will go fast. 










SF Big Dog / Rich


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## SFBigDog (Jan 14, 2012)

In September 2010, I read about several groups in Texas ... all volunteers ... who pooled their efforts to put together an event day of fishing for Soldiers & Veterans, to show appreciation and give a little something back. They recruited volunteer boaters, as well as Soldiers & Veterans ... and the idea was born for a East Tennessee "Fishing With A Soldier" event.

I polled several different fishing web-sites for feed back on the idea, and Gary Harris from East Tennessee Fishing, and Donnie Gill from Tennessee Bass Fishing volunteered as event coordinators ... then, Deb McKay was recruited into the group.

We held our first event in May 2011 at Douglas Lake, and had some 40 volunteer boaters, as well as 38-40 Soldiers & Veterans.

We had numerous sponsors get on board, who donated money, custom made fishing rods, and gift cards, to be given away. Janet Parker, the female Kevin Van Damm of professional bass fishing, attended to do her part in taking soldiers out for a day of fishing.

EODT, a Lenoir City based company, sponsored the afternoon meal after weigh-in ... and the Shiloh Riders and part of the Tennessee Patriot Guard Riders, prepared and served the afternoon meal. 

The event was such a huge success ... that many people encouraged us to make it a repeating annual event. Since last year, we have added three more co-chairmen in an effort to make this year and all future events bigger and better.

All unused monies raised in preparation for putting on these events, is donated to The Step House in the Knoxville area, which helps disabled veterans and homeless veterans.

Richard M Ballard
United States Army, Retired
Cleveland, TN


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## Captain Ahab (Jan 14, 2012)

Good stuff man - thanks for keeping us up to date


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## JasonLester (Jan 21, 2012)

Wow sounds like fun. I wonder if I can get my boat ready by then. I spent 6 years active duty Army. This is a great idea to show our military we care and apprecieate thier service....Good going...

I'll have to put this on the calender. And hope I can make it. 

Jason


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## kmsnowman (Jan 26, 2012)

Great cause and effort! =D>


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## freetofish (Mar 4, 2012)

Good for you guys and gals...what a great thing... I have thought and actually put down on paper of doing something along those lines here in St. Louis. Problem here is there just aren't any lakes close enough to try and pull it off... I haven't given up though... I keep working on it and maybe someday we will be able to show our love of fishing to our love of service men..
God bless you for what you are doing.
peace
ron


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## SFBigDog (Mar 4, 2012)

JasonLester said:


> Wow sounds like fun. I wonder if I can get my boat ready by then. I spent 6 years active duty Army. This is a great idea to show our military we care and apprecieate thier service....Good going...
> 
> I'll have to put this on the calender. And hope I can make it.
> 
> Jason



Good afternoon Jason ....

With boat ... or without boat ... We would be happy and proud to have you join us ... and give me an opportunity to shake your hand on the boat ramp.

Thank You Sir for your service.

If you need more info, please e-mail me at [email protected]

SF Big Dog / Rich


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## SFBigDog (Mar 4, 2012)

freetofish said:


> Good for you guys and gals...what a great thing... I have thought and actually put down on paper of doing something along those lines here in St. Louis. Problem here is there just aren't any lakes close enough to try and pull it off... I haven't given up though... I keep working on it and maybe someday we will be able to show our love of fishing to our love of service men..
> God bless you for what you are doing.
> peace
> ron



Good afternoon ....

Still got that big pink elephant on highway 30? LOL !!!!

SF Big Dog / Rich


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## SteveRoss (Mar 24, 2012)

Thanks for doing the event. Been to the Delta and know how good if feels to get back to appreciative people... THANKS AGAIN !!

Very respectfully,
Steve


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## Jim (Mar 25, 2012)

I would like to *buy* a hat even though I cant attend. Any chance of that?


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## SFBigDog (Mar 25, 2012)

Jim said:


> I would like to *buy* a hat even though I cant attend. Any chance of that?




Good evening Jim,

Would sure love to just give you one .... but they were bought by a sponsore to give away to Soldiers, Veterans, and volunteer boaters. If I have any left over ... will be happy to give you one.

SF Big Dog / Rich


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