Big Buck Lodge Smithland, Kentucky-The inaugural Big Buck Outdoor Games® (BBOG) being held April 17-19 is a fundraising event to help rehabilitate U. S. Military purple heart recipients and support the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund. The Fund incorporates the traditional outdoor pursuits of hunting, fishing and shooting, along with other outdoor activities, to help wounded veterans rehabilitate and re-establish important connections with post-injury daily life.
Conceived and orchestrated by three avid outdoorsmen who wanted to make a significant contribution to the well being of "our deserving military heroes." BBOG, is hosted by "Huntin for Heroes," a 501 (c)(3) (formed by Spook Spann, Mark Hatcher and Kevin Jones), Big Buck Properties® and www.XONtv.TV. All money raised will go to "Huntin for Heroes" and PVA-Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund to benefit wounded veterans across the country.
The event will have 10 four-person teams for a bass fishing tournament and a turkey hunt. Each team will have a purple heart recipient, outdoor celebrity, corporate sponsor and an entertainment or sports celebrity. All teams will be filmed for a hunt that will be broadcast on a national station and on www.XONtv.TV.
The event will also feature a Charity banquet Friday night, April 17 at Harrah's Casino in Metropolis, IL. Part of the benefit for the veterans will be the donation of a "huntmaster" to the Ft Campbell military base for use by injured outdoorsmen. The huntmaster is a hydraulically-lifted shooting house that can accommodate hunters in wheelchairs or with other adaptive equipment. BBOG will also have a charity concert on Veteran's Day weekend, November 14 at Harrah's Casino.
Some of the participating outdoor celebrities include Hank Parker and his sons, Jimmy Houston, Jim Zumbo, Jimmy Sites, Spook Spann and Jon and Gina Brunson. Sports and entertainment celebrities such as Jarious Norwood from the Atlanta Falcons, Dave Stewart of the TN Titans and Bryan White, country music celebrity, will also hunt and fish with the soldiers.
Noted big game hunting expert, Jim Zumbo, summarized his reason for being involved, "The Big Buck Outdoor Games will be a fantastic way to offer superb hunting and fishing opportunities to our disabled veterans. I'm delighted to be able to participate in the event, as I always am when our wounded heroes enjoy themselves in the outdoors. I can't wait for the "Games" to begin. "
A partial listing of major sponsors for the BBOG includes Big Buck Properties, XONtv, Harrah's Casino, High Maintenance Camo, Outback Steakhouse, James Marine, Utilities Dynamics, Merit Electric, and Stealth 4X4.
For more information visit www.huntinforheroes.org, www.bigbuckoutdoorgames.org or www.pvaheritagefund.org.
