WARRIORS TO WOODSMEN
CHAPTER OF THE NORTH CAROLINA HANDICAPPED SPORTSMEN

ABOUT WARRIORS TO WOODSMEN

Our Armed Forces are comprised of men and women who come from all walks of life and from different environments. Lets be honest with ourselves. Do these people join the military for college money or a steady paycheck? They choose a path they know will be a dangerous one.... a Warriors life. Warriors live a life only other warriors can understand. They leave their families behind and run towards what most cower from and drive into what other run away from. They forge bonds with other warriors. They live together and die together. They come home with their shields in hand or with their fellow warriors carrying them on their own. They are not free; they gave up their rights as US citizens to protect the rights of their countrymen. There is no other group of people more feared on the battlefield, yet they are the most criticised and are often subject to judgement and
stereotyping from their fellow Americans.

Unless you have fought for this country, you can never understand what happens to a warrior when he returns home. He is lost. He doesn't know who he is anymore or where he is going. He feels alone without his brothers in arms constantly by his side. He feels disconnected, not only from his
family and friends, but from himself. All they had become has changed.

They came back to the States, but they never really come home. Ultimately, they isolate themselves from others and submit to depression and hopelessness.

Some of our warriors come back wounded. Some are wounded physically.

Others have injuries that can not be seen by a stranger, such as a brain injury (signature wound of the Iraq War). Nearly all are wounded both emotionally and mentally. You can see it in their eyes and hear it in their
voices when you get to know them.

A REVELATION:

Warriors To Woodsmen (WTW) was started after Shawn "Weebles" Horsley (For More Info http://www.warriorstowoodsmen.org/weebles.html),
came back from three tours in Iraq and was one of those warriors described above. He was saved by the outdoors (read the article "Nature Heals All" in the forum for the entire story. Shawn began taking other wounded warriors and returning troops hunting, fishing, and showing them they had a
future as woodsmen.

At first, the idea was just that.... an idea. As Shawn began showing wounded warriors the benefits of returning to the outdoors. It was working! Troops who had been isolated for years and had distanced themselves from the world were now enjoying life! They were bonding with family and
friends and felt at home. As word spread, enthusiasm grew. People began arriving at Shawn's house with a glimmer in their eyes. A new brotherhood has developed.

OUR MISSION:

Our mission is simple; allow our warriors to finally find peace and become woodsmen. We want to give our members opportunities to enjoy outdoor recreational activities and sports they would normally never have the chance to. We want to provide hunting and fishing adventures as well as
build a new camaraderie with fellow veterans, woodsmen, and the people they loved enough to fight for. Our membership is not exclusively veterans.

We embrace all who support our cause of bettering our natural resources and bonding as woodsmen. Warriors To Woodsmen wants to put
people together without the pressure of "being a wounded vet" or not. We are all Woodsmen and can all learn from each other.

WHAT OUR STATUS IS:

We are now a Chapter of the North Carlina Handicapped Sportsmen. We are a non-profit organization and are always looking for ways to better our program and serve our members, their families, and friends.

For more information on how you can help or become a member, E-Mail
shawn@warriorstowoodsmen.org.

http://www.warriorstowoodsmen.org/

Ellie