The United Special Sportsman Alliance holding a fundraiser dinner in Cookeville Saturday to facilitate outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities and life threatening illnesses, as well as veterans.
Principal Officer Bill Cothran said the Alliance offers free hunting and fishing trips based on ‘wishes’ submitted by family members. Cothran said the organization has granted some 22,000 wishes. Cothran said it is apparent that kids, parents, and volunteers alike are impacted by the Alliance’s work.
“It impacts all of us as volunteers getting to see that the little bit that we contribute goes to fulfill a wish,” Cothran said. “And bring just a normal day to people that deal with a lot of things in their lives.”
Cothran said oftentimes, families navigating special situations do not know how to provide a good outdoor experience for their loved one. Cothran said wishes can be submitted online, and people can apply to be part of an upcoming experience.
The fundraiser dinner will be held Saturday at the Leslie Town Center in Cookeville at 6 pm, and dinner will be served at 6:30. There will also be an auction of outdoor sports-themed items.
Cothran said the Alliance tries to tailor their events to the people who are coming along. For instance, Cothran said he has a group of mentors who help him adapt his annual turkey hunt event.
Cothran said this is based on the participants coming on the hunt. When the group knows who is hunting and what accommodations need to be met, they can decide on the best property.
“We set up blinds, we make sure that they have an accessible place we can get them to,” Cothran said. “And all of our volunteers are doing scouting and preparing for their arrival and their actual hunt or fishing trip.”
Cothran said there is no shortage of good locations in Tennessee to host outdoor adventures. Cothran said an upcoming fishing experience will be held at Pickwick Lake in Counce later this month. Cothran said there are 15 families going on the trip.
“These boat captains are professional catfish anglers,” Cothran said. “They fish in the world tournaments and stuff. They bring their boats over there and our fishermen go out on Pickwick Lake and catch catfish, sometimes in the range of 60 or 70 pounds.”
Cothran said the Wisconsin-based nonprofit has been in existence since 2000. Cothran said the charity is nationwide with experiences ranging from deep sea fishing to elk hunting. The money raised at Saturday’s dinner will go toward the United Special Sportsman Alliance’s Tennessee chapter.
