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Valley vets honored with Dalmatia group hunt, dinner in Coal Twp.

Daily Item - 1/22/2017

Jan. 22--DALMATIA -- A Coal Township Army veteran organized a group hunt for five fellow military veterans Saturday at Martz's Game Farm.

The hunt was the first hosted in Pennsylvania by the Florida-based Freedom Fighter Outdoors, according to local volunteer B.J. Carpentier. He hopes many more will be held by the group in the Valley.

Carpentier himself learned about the group when he attended a FFO-sponsored fishing trip in Florida. It impressed him enough to get involved.

"They gave me a platform. I get to do this to give back," Carpentier said.

The five veterans treated to the hunt, all Marines, were Troy Vanderau, of Mechanicsburg, Greg Myers, of Centre Hall, Brian Ranck, of Herndon, and Jarrod Scandle and Nate Rhodes, both of Coal Township.

Carpentier worked with fellow Army veteran Joe Wiseman, of Lock Haven, to organize the event. They relied on the support of many sponsors.

Martz's donated the hunt in full -- game, guide and dog plus cleaning. The game farm hosts similar events through other groups. Inside the clubhouse hang photos and medals of two Valley vets -- Air Force Maj. Henry Heim and the late Chief Warrant Officer Matthew Deppen.

"We always try and give them a break and help them out," said Roxie Sheesley, office manager at the game farm.

Brewser's Sports Grille, Coal Township, hosted the men for lunch and drinks afterward. Swag and cash were provided by a dozen more private and business sponsors.

"I was really excited when I was asked to be a part of this," Myers said.

"There are more veterans in the area who don't get a chance to do a lot of this," said Rhodes, adding he hopes FFO continues to hold events for veterans.

Carpentier said a hunt, fishing trip and the like are great opportunities to get veterans together who shared similar military experiences. It can be an outlet to talk with like-minded people, or simply share in their presence.

"Veterans can't tell the same stories to everybody. They don't get it," Carpentier said.

For more information on Freedom Fighter Outdoors, visit www.freedomfighteroutdoors.org or email bcarpentier@freedomfighteroutdoors.org.

Email comments to escicchitano@dailyitem.com. Follow Scicchitano on Twitter @ericshick11.

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