2014 Utah Disabled Veterans Fishing Event

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]Due to some discussions about this event on other websites, I want to pass on some information here about the DAV Fishing Event that may just clear up some of the details on just how this event is being run. These comments came from a Director of the Utah Disabled Veterans Fishing Foundation (UDVFF), Mr. Todd Hall.[/size][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]The UDVFF has learned a lot in the last couple of years and they have gotten much better at handling the vets between the check in station and getting them on a boat. Last year, there was over 20 volunteer staff, on foot, helping to coordinate the vets with boats. This was a tremendous help and provided for a much better success last year controlling the vets from running off in groups. It is very important that you understand how difficult that is as many of the Vets bunch up and demand to go out together. The UDVFF Staff does the best they can as some of the Vets have legitimate needs to be together, such as being with their spouses or they have real anxiety issues, etc.[/size][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]The UDVFF had considered loading the Vets into the boats in the parking lot but decided against that due to safety concerns with that amount of foot traffic and boat trailers. Another problem contributing to the confusion is that most of the vets don’t arrive until nearly 8:00 am even though they have been given a 7:00 am arrival time. The VAMC Staff in SLC doesn’t like to leave SLC that early. It takes a good bit of time to get 60 some boats launched, rigs parked, and boat captains back to their boat. With all these challenges it is still something the UDVFF Staff discussed again this year.[/size][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]Every year the UDVFF Staff holds an after action meeting a couple weeks after the event to review their notes on areas needing improvement the following year. The number one priority every year is to ensure that every boater gets at least one veteran. This is also stressed to the volunteers and veterans at every opportunity. Last year, the Staff began putting vets on boats as soon as they arrived and sending the boats out fishing. They skipped the flag ceremony at the ramp and instead had one at the start of the BBQ in direct response to some of the issues they experienced in 2012. Having over 20 shore volunteers last year really helped a lot in getting the vets to the boats in a timely manner.[/size][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]The UDVFF wants to stress to one and all that it’s great to have hard core fishermen involved in this event. Remember, this is an all volunteer group and they are doing the very best that they can under the given circumstances. The UDVFF Staff tries to improve the experience for everyone each year; Veterans and volunteers alike. This year will be the 4th year that the UDVFF will be running this event and it has grown from around 40 vets to almost a hundred which requires about 60 to 70 boats; so it’s a handful.[/size][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]The UDVFF really appreciates all the support it gets from sponsors and volunteers for this event. They welcome and encourage feedback, both positive and negative, so they can work to continuously improve the experience for everybody. If you have any kudos or complaints, please feel free to pass them along to Mr. Hall. He would very much like to hear from you – good and bad. He can be reached via a PM from that other site. If you can’t figure that out, please feel free to contact me here via PM and I’ll tell you how to do that.[/size][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]If you had a bad experience at this event in the past and decided to write it off, I would kindly ask that you reconsider. The UDVFF is really trying their very best to make this a better experience for everybody.[/size][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]Thank you for any help you can give on this event. You don’t need to have a boat to help.[/size][/font]
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