6th Prize
Hunting Journal with Weatherby Logo (100 awarded)
Danny Wilson, South Carolina
“I have been hunting for over 25 years, and I just love being in the outdoors matching wits with a turkey or whitetail deer.
I have two children, a son and a daughter. Both have gone hunting with dad on various occasions, but with only limited success. The joy of watching your child react to the gooble of a turkey for the first time is unforgettable.
If I were to win this contest I would like to take my 17–year–old daughter. She is a senior in high school, very athletic, and is on the competitive cheerleader team. She is a flyer for the team, and does all the tumbles and flips you see on TV. Her name is Katherine, and I've told her that she is my hero.
Katherine was born without her right hand, and wears a prosthesis to help her in her daily routines. The Shriners Hospital is Greenville, South Carolina, has done such a wonderful job for not only my daughter, but the many other children in our area in need of help. She amazes people who watch her compete, and she has never let anything hold her back.
We've have gone deer hunting,with no success so far, but she did take a fine South Carolina gobbler when she was 10 while sitting in dad's lap. I would like to take my daughter on a nice hunt for whitetail deer. There are two places that come to mind, Texas and Iowa. Katherine was so excited when she took her first tom, that she quickly told our group, ”Now I want to take a big deer!“ We've gone deer hunting, but the bucks never seem to show up for us. I'm hoping this contest will give her that thrill. What a thrill it would be for me to witness probably a once in a lifetime hunt.
Speaking from the heart...Daddy's have a special place in their hearts for daughters. We know that as they get older, they develop other interests and our special time is cut in half. It's something that all parents have to deal with, and you hope that you have prepared them to meet the world and find their path to happiness. Watching Katherine grow up seems like a blur, it has gone so fast. Our family likes to take a lot of pictures and videos, so its fun to sit down and look at the ‘times of our lives.’ I tell my children that life is short, we only get one time to do it, so get out and experience the world.
Many tears were shed for my daughter when she was born. Again, the Shriners were our rock, and did such a wonderful job for Katherine. She had to endure a lot of ridicule from other children growing up. She was so strong on the outside, but inside she was really hurting. Through the years, people began to see that she was not going to let things hold her back. Another thing that helped was that she looks like her mom. The boys started coming out of the woodwork. I like to watch the boys' reactions when she shows them the picture with her big gobbler. If you decide to select us I know that one little girl and one proud father would have a special trip, and memories that would last a lifetime.”