News release from the Outdoor Sports, Lake & Cabin Show:
Outdoor Sports Show salutes local military heroes Jan. 23-25
(January 6, 2015) — The 6th annual Outdoor Sports, Lake & Cabin Show is paying tribute to active and veteran military families during a weekend chock full of activities Jan. 23-25 at Fort Wayne’s Memorial Coliseum.
For the first time, showgoers can take flight on a three-story high Timber Lake zipline over a 25,000-gallon kayak lagoon, which will benefit the Honor Flight Northeast Indiana chapter (HFNEI). Every participant will receive a discount to enjoy yet another adventure at Camp Timber Lake in Huntington, Ind.
Proceeds will help send World War II (WWII), Korean and Vietnam War veterans on an all-expense-paid trip to Washington D.C. to visit the war memorials. Each flight costs around $60,000, and this year, the nonprofit hopes to send nearly 300 military veterans on four separate trips starting this spring.
“Time is of the essence as these veterans grow older—most them say, ‘I never received a welcome home 70 years ago,’ and then after the trip, they will come back in tears.”
They say, “‘This is my first welcome home I received. I didn’t know that my service meant anything to anybody else.’ So this is our way of telling them thank you,” Brouwer said.
The nonprofit is looking for living war veteran families to come and learn more about the flight program during informative Q&A sessions at the show where they will also share stories from previous trips.
Additional fundraisers for honor flights include proceeds from live fishing, a patriotic chainsaw-carved plane up for auction and the O’Daniel Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram’s honor wall, which will showcase hometown hero photo submissions collected from WFFT-TV and Indiana NewsCenter leading up to the show. Stations will ask the community to submit votes for $1 to benefit HFNEI.
The National Military History Center out of Auburn, Ind. will have unique military gifts and displays for sale including a vintage 50-caliber water-cooled machine gun and historic 1938 French Latil Model M7T1 vehicle—one of the very few remaining in the U.S. that was actually used in WWII. A M35A2 “Rolling Thunder” truck and M38 Jeep will also be shown.
On Saturday, Jan. 24 at 5:30 p.m., military supporters can root for their service during an Air Force vs. Marines, and Army vs. Navy amateur lumberjack competition. The STIHL Timberworks lumberjacks, seen on ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” and MTV’s “The Real World” and “Road Rules,” will speed climb 45-feet high, ax throw, log roll, and cross-cut and hot saw daily at 5, 6:30, and 8 p.m. Friday; 11:30 a.m., 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. Saturday; and 12:30, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
Sunday will close out with a tribute concert from 3-5 p.m. by 2014’s “Best Country Performer” Hubie Ashcraft and fiddle accompaniment Travis Gow, along with a free Blue Bell ice cream social. During this time, all military families can enjoy complimentary fishing and zipline rides.
Aside from these special features, showgoers can browse official Bass Pro Shop boats and 100+ recreational exhibitors related to virtually any outdoor sport plus camping, vacation and travel, and cottage living. Experts will host ongoing seminars on topics like winter bass fishing, survivalist skills, and then health and fitness to align with New Year’s resolutions.
Families can enjoy bicycle and kayak test rides, live chainsaw woodcarving demonstrations, archery, air rifle and fly-fishing lessons, and check out a new solar-paneled log cabin.
General admission is $10, but a $2 coupon is available on . Active/veteran military receive a $5 discount with valid ID. Children 12 and under are free.
Show hours are noon to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, log on SportsandCabinShow.com.
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