What caught our attention in a recent story about Wounded Warriors hunting doves with a Little League team was some of the motivations for the event.

As organizer Mike Luter said, “They [the veterans] have given so much for us, we should never miss an opportunity to do something for them.”

Hunting was a way for the six men and one woman to again participate in an activity they’ve enjoyed in the past. At this event, each of the wounded warriors teamed up with a Little League player and his parent to participate in the dove hunt.

There was also an important lesson for the youngsters. They became acquainted with the veterans, who although physically intact, have still endured tough times. The hope was that boys would realize freedom often comes through hardship.

Of course, the wounded warriors did not relate gory horrors of war, but by sharing some stories of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, they did give the Longhorns a sense of what they had been through and why they went through it.

“It gives them an understanding of what other people go through for them,” Luter said. “There are people out there who are willing to basically give their lives for them.”

It didn’t hurt that the Windsor Longhorns Little League team also discovered there is actually more to life than baseball.

With Luter’s words in mind, we encourage people to contribute to the Freedom Hunters program as a way to support our Wounded Warriors.

To learn more, visit www.freedomhunters.org, or contact Bud DePlatchett at 617-4431 or 365-4162, or email bud@freedomhunters.org.