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BFT Team,
This year’s annual disabled vet fishing event has been cancelled. There have been management and personnel changes at the VA in SLC which have resulted in a change of direction for the SLC VA. The new management team has decided to change their model away from supporting group events to supporting individual events. This means they will no longer support our event. Without the VA’s support my team does not have the resources or bandwidth to make this event happen.
I have been working with my contact at the VA to try and work something out but we have been unable to do that currently. We have decided to take this year off and try to work with some political contacts to see if we can regenerate the SLC VA’s support for our event.
I know many of you will be greatly disappointed as you’ve supported this event for the past 11 years. I want to thank you all for that support and ask that you give us this time to see if we can get these issues resolved.
Thank you all for all your support for this event which started on BFT and couldn’t have been successful without it. Hopefully we will be able to pick it back up next year.
Todd Hall and Team
Utah Disabled Veterans Fishing Foundation
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Sunrise on the water
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Thanks for all you have done over the years Todd. Hopefully you can get something worked out with these folks. The Vets enjoyed it so much. We all probably enjoyed it more but it was never about us.
Thanks! And keep up the great work.
fnf[cool]
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Such a shame.
My son just returned from Syria last month and was really looking forward to being on my boat and taking out a DAV.
You and your team did a fantastic job the last 11 years, thank you!
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If anyone knows someone with strong political connections that might be interested in helping us plead our case to the SLC VA I would love to talk to them.
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I hate it when good things become politicized, but that's the world we live in. Maybe you can find some politicians who have strong ties to veterans and fishing. A number of years ago I went to a gun rally held on the steps of the state Capitol. The speaker called for officials to "come out of the gun closet" and be publicly acknowledged as being gun users and supporters. Maybe we have more patriotic anglers in the government than we know. Hey, if it was good enough for Herbert Hoover ...
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The older I get the more I would rather be considered a good man than a good fisherman.
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That is really a shame, Todd. I really look forward to the event every year, I have met some really great folks and will miss it. You and Trevor and the rest of your team have put on a great event for people who deserve our respect and help. I hope you can get things worked out.
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Hey Todd, we wish you luck on turning on the funding needed... It is a great event and I know I enjoyed it when I took part.. Hope things will work out... You never know when someone finds out what is going on, they may be able to change things... Best of luck... Later J
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Thanks for your thoughts but just to clear up any confusion. It's not a funding issue. It is the management at the SLC VA Rec Therapy group that have decided they do not want to support our event anymore,.
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[quote WET1]If anyone knows someone with strong political connections that might be interested in helping us plead our case to the SLC VA I would love to talk to them.[/quote]
Todd,
That would be me. I'm very politically active and influential.
Let's coordinate on our efforts quickly because, this Saturday I will be attending the Salt Lake County Republican Party Organizing Convention in my role as County Delegate and a candidate for our State Central Committee and will be seeing most of our local elected government public servants there, so I can present our message there and next month will be our Utah State Convention where I will be active in my role as State Delegate and seeing our elected Utah public servants.
But, my most important political role is I'm effective at supporting or opposing candidates for nominations and in elections.
Your volunteer,
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Oh that may be more difficult to change from outside. I think that’s more the vets from inside will have to push for change. Management choices usually need to be influenced by strong customer opinions. Thanks for what you’ve done it’s benefitted the helpers as much as those being helped. Will be waiting to hear if the call for help returns. Thanks Jeff
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I have worked with the departments that handle this event very closely for the past 6 years. I also work on a daily basis to take our veterans fishing. I am very positive about making this thing happen. Let me know what you want to do and I will help make it happen.
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Please connect with Dr K to discuss your ideas for re-engaging this dept next year.
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Gonna miss it Todd, thanks for all you have done in the past. Hope to see you on the water, have a great summer.
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