THE GREAT DEER HUNT KICKS OFF OCT. 27

MIAMI -- The River Bottom Sportsmen and Mid-America Chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America are in the final days of preparation for The Great Deer Hunt which kicks off at 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, in downtown Miami.

The Great Deer Hunt, held annually in Miami, allows disabled American veterans an opportunity to enjoy a weekend of food, fun and fellowship, as well as the thrill of the hunt.

“This event has grown from a grass-roots effort into an annual labor of love for the all-volunteer staff of the River Bottom Sportsmen,” said Jack Dalrymple, president of the River Bottom Sportsmen and host for the weekend event. “We do this as a way to honor our veterans. This event symbolizes the values of our community and it is those values that make our community so special.”

The Great Deer Hunt runs Oct. 27 through Oct. 29 and is held on the Dalrymple farm on the western edge of Miami.

The annual flag raising ceremony has grown into the official opening of the hunt and will feature the raising of the garrison-style U.S. flag on the five-story building at the corner of Central and Main streets in Miami.

“We only hang this flag in conjunction with this hunt,” Dalrymple said. “It covers the entire front of the building. It is an impressive sight and we hope everyone will come out and join us for the flag raising ceremony.”

Dalrymple said the flag “seems to tug at the very foundation of our community. We watch people stop in the middle of Main Street just to take pictures, hug each other, give a thumbs up and walk away with a somewhat renewed base of what our community and our country is and should be all about.” P.O. Box 554, North Miami, OK 74358

Seven veterans will be participating in this year’s event, according to Dalrymple. While the flag raising ceremony that morning and a banquet sponsored by Buffalo Run Casino that night officially welcome the participants to Miami, hunt activities begin early Friday morning.

“Our volunteers treat these veterans like royalty for three days,” Dalrymple said. “These veterans pay for nothing and want for nothing while they are here. To us, our guests represent freedom paid in full.”

This year’s participants include:

Gary Jackson: Jackson, 66, served from 1968 to 1973 in the Air Force. During that time, he served with the Strategic Air Command, Tactical Air Command, Air Training Command and the 8th Special Operations Squadron. After the military and his spinal cord injury, Jackson was able to get through college and taught middle and high school. His last seven years in education were as the district manager for career and vocational education. Jackson is married with one daughter and two sons.

Cole Lopez: Lopez joined the Army National Guard in 2005 where she spent six years doing logistics for the 834th ASB and one year in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In June 2011, she was riding as a passenger on a motorcycle when the motorcycle was struck by a truck. She lost a leg in the accident. After two years of struggling to regain her life, Lopez found hunting, the gym and 3 Gun Nation. Those activities brought her back to life and closer to God. She has since finished her associate’s degree while going through surgeries and managing a gym in Claremore. She hopes to help more veterans the way she was once helped.

Randy McCown: McCown served in the Air Force from 1975 to 1981. He was paralyzed in 2000. He is a youth minister at the First Baptist Church in Piedmont, OK, and enjoys the outdoors and hunting.

Dan Nelson: Nelson served in the Navy aboard the USS O’Brien from 1963 to 1966. He saw duty in Vietnam. After his service, Nelson went to work for the Frisco Railroad and then the Burlington Northern Railroad where he retired due to his disability in 1995. He lives in Miami, OK.

Brandon Oakley: Oakley lives in Miami, OK, with his wife Mackenzie and their two children, Ryder, 8, and Blake, 5. He served in the Army from 1999 to 2005 where he was deployed to Iraq from 2002 to 2003 and again in 2005. Oakley served with the 3 rd  Infantry 19 Delta.  He now works for Miami Chevrolet and enjoys the outdoors, especially hunting. P.O. Box 554, North Miami, OK 74358

Chad Rozanski: Rozanski joined the Army at the age of 17 as a forward observer. He lost both of his legs supporting the Operation Iraqi Freedom campaign just outside of Ramadi on July 2, 2006. He and his wife have two children. Rozanski owns a small business that specializes in LTL and automobiles, shipping goods all over the United States. His hobbies are hunting, fishing and keeping his family happy.

Thomas Walraven: Walraven served in the Navy from 1979 to 1993. His first assignment was aboard the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides). He also served aboard the USS Boulder and the USS Edenton. Walraven spent time in Europe, Bethesda Navy Hospital/Naval Detailer Annex and the 5 th Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek in Virginia. He sustained numerous injuries during his time in service, including knee, rib, neck and spinal injuries.

The Great Deer Hunt 2016 Schedule of Events

Thursday, Oct. 27

9 a.m.: Flag raising ceremony at 1 S. Main St. in Miami, Okla.

11 a.m.: Hunter Safety Course, under the instruction of David Dean, at the Dalrymple Farm.

1 p.m.: Hunters check into Hampton Inn & Suites.

6:30 p.m.: Dinner for hunters and volunteer staff provided by the Coleman House Restaurant at Buffalo

Run Casino.

Friday, Oct. 28

5 a.m.: Breakfast served at hunt headquarters on Dalrymple Farm.

5:30 a.m.: Morning hunt begins.

11:30 a.m.: Lunch (fried fish and turkey, French fries and coleslaw).

2:30 p.m.: Afternoon hunt begins.

7 p.m.: Dinner (pork tenderloin and ribs).

Saturday, Oct. 29

5 a.m.: Breakfast served at hunt headquarters on Dalrymple Farm.

5:30 a.m.: Morning hunt begins.

11:30 a.m.: Lunch (chili and Pizza Hut pizza and pasta).

2:30 p.m.: Afternoon hunt begins.

7 p.m.: Dinner (hog trough stew prepared by Chetopa Fire Department and smoked hog prepared by event

staff).