Sean C. Morgan
A stay at the hospital can get dull, and the Mid-Valley Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America has done its part to help break up the monotony for veterans in Oregon by opening a fishing pond where they can get away from it all for a bit, catching, cooking and eating trout.
Veterans from the Veterans Administration Hospital in Roseburg were quick to try out the new fishing poles and docks.
“Man, that’s a fighting s——,” commented one as another fought to bring a trout onto the dock, and the fish managed to get itself free of the hook with a plop, drawing an “Awww” from bystanders.
VVA Chapter 585, which primarily includes Vietnam veterans from Sweet Home to Albany, dedicated a new floating dock built and donated by Smokercraft. The dock is 52 feet long and 8 feet wide. The pond, stocked by the owner with trout, is located on private property in the Lebanon area. The owner wished to remain anonymous, and the location is secret.
The American Legion Post 51 provided an honor guard and rifle volley for the dedication, while Pastor Carol Sedlacek of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Lebanon opened with a prayer.
“This started with Tom Owen, who was our chapter president,” said Gater Alden of Lebanon, who chaired the steering committee about three years ago.
“In materials alone, we had $12,000,” Alden said. “If you throw in the labor, I don’t know how much Smokercraft would charge.”
The pontoons are factory seconds, with scrapes and dings, said Chapter President Ric Olson of Sweet Home. “Smokercraft built this. They did a fantastic job, and they did it at cost.”
The idea is to bring veterans from Veterans Administration hospitals and homes, Alden said.
“The whole goal is to get the vets out of the hospitals for a day, fishing,” Olson said. They may be in the hospital for days, weeks or months for a variety of reasons. “It’s pretty monotonous having to do nothing.”
The veterans will be met and hosted by members of VVA Chapter 585, who clean and cook what the veterans catch.
The visits are by appointment and set up when hospitals and homes contact VVA Chapter 585, Olson said. He is in contact with people in Salem, Portland and Vancouver, and the chapter will eventually serve veterans at the future Veterans Home to be built in Lebanon.
The first batch of veterans arrived from the Roseburg hospital in the late morning.
In addition to Smokercraft’s donation, Cabela’s of Springfield donated some $650 to $700 worth of equipment and poles, Olson said. Dan Dee Sales also donated.
“It fits perfectly with Cabela’s goals on supporting the community and outdoor recreation,” said Dan Beraldo of the Springfield store. Working with the VVA “is a perfect opportunity for us to get involved locally.”
Other donors included Best Pots and Mega Foods, which provided New York steaks at cost when VVA members hosted breakfasts and dinners to raise money for the project.
Columbia Distributing of Springfield provided umbrellas for shade on the dock.
“I’m thrilled,” Olson said. “This is what we wanted to do for veterans.”