How Members?

Does anyone here know if HOW is active?
I have been to their website three times, trying to join, and it doesn't seem to be working. I sent them two emails, with no response. Any idea what is going on?

Hi Ned.  Our how chapter is led by dangling.  It's been dormant since June.  He is trying to get something cooking this fall.  He will post .  It's difficult getting vets on board and working thru the va maze .  Glad ur interested.  I'll let don know

NED, I know HOW is active, I have been communicating via email with them, but I would contact Danglin for local info.

Radon,
thank you for the heads up. yes, I am very interested in assisting with any fishing trips for vets, disabled or otherwise.
Is there a HOW requirement that we go through the VA. I don't want to introduce politics, but in my experience, they are half the problem (or more).
And I would like to give a personal Thank You to all you guys who have contributed to this program, officially, or otherwise. I don't know if you have any idea how valuable this can be for some of us. It is a tremendous tool.

It is not a requirement to go through the VA. We invite them along for most trips. It is like pulling teeth to get a group together here to take on the water. Lots of politics. Wounded Warrior Transition Unot is one we work with. Also with a few other hospitals and he like. Transportation is sometimes an issue too. Some drive themselves if they are able, but some need transportation from the various facilities and that is an issue sometimes too. We are trying to downsize our events just for a little more personal attention to the soldiers. To get 6-10 people there we need to go to several facilities to find them and put out the word. Then when we want 10 we get 40. Other times we want 10 and get 2.  Just hang in there and follow the HOW thread from time to time. We will get something going soon.

Great.
And please let me know what I can do to help.

Howdy LuckyNed   

and thanks for your Service....

  We kinda took the summer off...  I've been out of the country most of the summer, lots of other vacations with key volunteers and even most of the players I have contacts with were having babies or on vacation too...

We are changing how we do things... we have been doing LARGE events since we started 4 years ago...

Over 800 vets and families on the water....  Strong Work Everyone!!!

This has put us on the map and given us the street cred of what we can do, but it's not the best way to get the most of what kayak fishing can do for our service members. It turns into mostly crowd control... it exhaust our resources and volunteers not to mention it's expensive. Were $1300 in the Red, (or the Black, whatever the bad one is...  ) as it is...

So,  what we have been doing is educating our contacts about how we could be most effective with our volunteers and resources as to have smaller more intimate events.

With that being said, Raydon is actually working on something that will involve the Kelsey Bass Ranch as we have a few vets ready go in the valley... more to come on that..,

We also are working with a outfit in the Napa Valley that works head on with recent returning vets via a four month program and we will start to post outings at Berryessa and possibly lake Hennessy.

We also might do a somewhat larger event at San Pablo for the VA in October/late September... I'm trying to see if the Admin there will expedite everything so we can just do it...

so please stand by and Thanks for your interest in helping Nor Cal HOW...

It's All of you that make this work!!!

Is there a HOW requirement that we go through the VA. I don't want to introduce politics, but in my experience, they are half the problem (or more).

Man, have you said a mouthful and Thank you for helping me not think I'm crazy...   

As Mentioned by Raydon and Racinrob...  it has been quite a Rats maze to get this off the ground and deal with the politics....  it's felt like were walking to front door of the VA with wheel burrow full of Gold and they reply...

" Come Back Tomorrow!!! "  it's not that bad people are working there,  but it's seems they just don't communicate well and we have had many frustrations over the years...

We are educating them and also have other resources to get to wounded vets who can use our help...

I can't imagine what you all deal with being you depend on the VA to get your benefits and pay right...

So sorry and all the more reason why we need this program to be working as to let all you service members know there are great things out there like kayak fishing and Great people to meet who kayak fish ...

I really appreciate your post and gives me/us the spark we need to keep this program moving....

Thanks again LuckyNed for all you and your buddies have done for us and we'll get this happening soon...