The North Battleford fundraiser for Wounded Warriors Weekend was sold out at the Don Ross Centre Nov. 7.
This was the second year in a row that the fundraiser was held in the city and by all accounts it was bigger and better. The funds go to help send veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder to the annual Wounded Warriors Weekend, which is an annual event that provides relaxation and camaraderie for these veterans. (Thanks go to Marlene Oleshko for providing the following information about the event.)
The headliner was comedian Bobby Henline, a Desert Storm veteran who took up standup comedy after he suffered major burns to his body following a roadside bomb in Iraq.
Henline was picked up at the airport Nov. 5 and was in Unity speaking at the Unity Composite High School the next day. Later that afternoon, he spoke to students at John Paul II Collegiate and also did an interview with Access 7.
Prior to the Saturday night show was a get together for the Wounded Warriors at 4 p.m. at the Gold Eagle Lodge with Blake Emmons and Bobby Henline. From there, limousines provided by Sallows & McDonald Wilson & Zehner Funeral Home, gave the Wounded Warriors rides to the fundraiser and also back to their hotels at the end of the night. Gold Eagle Lodge and Tropical Inn donated all of the rooms for the Wounded Warriors and special guests for the event.
The MC at Saturday night’s event was Vanese Ferguson, news director at CJWW Saskatoon and spouse of John, one of the Wounded Warriors present.
All the Wounded Warriors and Veterans were piped into the Don Ross Centre hall by Jim Ramsay.
The founder of Wounded Warriors weekend, Blake Emmons, was on hand to speak and sing to the audience, and he introduced Henline.
Elvis tribute artist Jeff Bodner and Appaloosa, a band from British Columbia provided the musical entertainment.
There were a couple of presentations made. Alf Christenson, on behalf of the Saskatoon Anavets Curling Club presented Blake Emmons with a cheque for $700 and Buff McGovern, on behalf of the Canadian Legion of Riders presented, Emmons with a cheque for $1,000, all going to Wounded Warriors Weekend.
Also, 98-year-old Reine Lessard of North Battleford said a few words to the Wounded Warriors at the end of the program.
There was a raffle with a $1,000 grand prize and two $500 cash prizes and a 50/50 draw totalling $1,840. The winner of the 50/50 were Rod and Andrea Sternig, who immediately donated their prize back to Wounded Warriors Weekend. At least $42,000 was raised, but a final total was still to be determined.
It was also confirmed both Emmons and Henline have agreed to return for next year’s Wounded Warriors Weekend fundraiser, Nov. 5, 2016.
The North Battleford event was well received by the veterans. Among the local area Wounded Warriors who attended was Mst. Cpl. Byron Rodriguez, a veteran of the Afghanistan war.
In speaking to the News-Optimist, Rodriguez spoke of how important the event was in spreading the message about post-traumatic stress disorder.
“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to let people know what’s going on with PTSD,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez noted physical injuries can often be healed, or people can get used to their conditions.
But mental injuries “don’t go away, no matter what you do, what you are, what time of day it is.”
“By letting people know, make people aware what we’re going though, hopefully that will allow people to understand what we’re doing and try to help.”
