A Father’s Heartfelt Thanks to the Safari WishTM
Program …
When we moved out to Medina, Ohio three years ago, I could have
never imagined all the great opportunities that would open up
for my son. We moved here for a more accessible house and a
better, accessible school district. Jeff was born with Spina
Bifida and is in a wheelchair. After being here for a little
while we discovered the 4-H Sharp Shooter program and found
ourselves truly enjoying this as it was something that everyone
including my son, who is in a wheelchair, could do. A 4-H instructor
came to me during a meeting one evening and asked if it would
be alright if he gave another organization Jeff’s name
and number, he mentioned something about a hunting trip. I said
sure that would be fine....
Scott Bagi, President of the SCI Ohio Chapter
contacted us and invited us to their
Sportsman’s Night Out benefit dinner where they
would talk about past trips and upcoming events. We went and
had a great time while met many other people. It was during
this benefit dinner that we learned that my son Jeff was selected
as a receipt of the Safari WishTM Program!
To say he was excited we be an understatement. But when he
heard that he was going to do a wild boar hunt I truly got
tears in my eyes to see the excitement on his face and in
his eyes!
Fast Forward to October 2009.. Arriving
in Swansea, South Carolina at the Buck and Boar, any fears we had about accessibility
were immediately put to rest! It was a wide-open flat area
that Jeff had no problem wheeling around on. I cannot tell
you how much it meant to me to see the lengths the staff at
the Buck and Boar went to in order to ensure that Jeff got
his first wild boar! The volunteers of the Safari WishTM Program
were just as outstanding!
An example of this amazing dedication happened when, while
out hunting we, heard shots from another team hunt and went
over to see what they had bagged. While everyone else got
out of the buggy to check the trophy out, of course my son
could not, one of the gentlemen from the Safari WishTM Program
walked over to Jeff and said “Climb on buddy!”
and he took Jeff on his back over to where everyone else was.
He made sure that Jeff was not left out and could see what
was going on! This act may not sound like a big deal to many,
but for a father it was just one example of many showing how
this trip was truly about the Safari WishTM Program recipients.
On our last night there, Jeff did get his first wild boar,
and I think he was floating on air for at least a week after
that! Not only was this a great experience and a lifetime
memory for him but for our whole family as well because we
were fortunate enough to be there with him!
Words cannot simply express how much we appreciated this
opportunity. We would have never otherwise thought something
like this could be possible for Jeff. It truly was a Safari WishTM come true!
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