September 22, 2008

Contact: Scott Hempel, Mule Deer Foundation
Tel.: 720-261-6232
E-mail: shampel@muledeer.org

Want to Support Our Troops?
Here’s a simple way to do so at minimal or no cost to you.

HENDERSON, Colo. – Over the past couple of years, MDF magazine has contained some articles titled “Support Our Troops,” such as the article featured within the July/August 2008 edition showcasing SPC Daniel Sorensen who is actively serving in our military. The intent of author David Virostko is to give each of us a reminder of that some of our fellow Americans remain on active duty to protect us and our freedoms. It is a reminder for each of us to remain proud of these individuals, show them our gratitude, appreciation, and thanks for what they do, and pray for their safe return home.

There is also a simple thing that we can do here at home to remember and honor those who have made tremendous sacrifices to protect us. It’s really quite simple. All you have to do is save the hide from your harvested big game animal and get the hide to a collection center. These hides are tanned and processed into making wheel chair gloves for some of our disabled vets. But I must first share with you how I became aware and involved in this program.

In the fall of 2001, while hunting with my family on our annual Colorado hunt, we met another group of guys who were camped near us. One of these individuals is Jim Vincent. As it turns out, Jim Vincent and I grew up approximately 30 miles from each other in a rural part of Michigan. Since then, Jim has become a trusted friend to myself and my family as well as hunting companion.

Over the years, Jim became aware of my involvement with MDF, first as a volunteer with the Mile High Chapter in Denver and now as a Regional Director. As a result, Jim became a member of MDF and has frequently attended our annual banquets to support MDF. Jim was also an active member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks (BPOE), commonly known as the Elks Lodge. While Jim was the “Exalted Ruler” of the Elks Lodge in Brighton, Colo., Jim nominated me to become a member of the BPOE.

Consequently, I also became aware of the Veterans Hide Program and last year made a posting of the program on the MDF website as well as forwarded a number of e-mails to MDF supporters to save their hides for this program. As an example, over 600 hides from harvested big game animals including deer, elk, and antelope were collected in Colorado in 2007. Unfortunately, the number of hides collected currently does not meet the demand of leather gloves needed by our disabled veterans.

Earlier this year on March 29, I had the extreme pleasure of being invited by Jim to assist the BPOE by volunteering for a few hours to assist disabled vets at the Denver International Airport. My job was simply to meet/greet vets who arrived at the airport and assist the vets by getting them on connecting flights to the Aspen, Colo. Upon their arrival at Aspen, the vets spent a week at the Snowmass Resort at the Winter Sports Clinic for Disable Vets participating in sporting events including skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, hockey, skeet shooting and scuba diving. One particular gentleman that I will never forget was an elderly man (whom Jim and I unfortunately cannot remember his name) who arrived and was in his late 70’s or early 80’s. This gentleman had been in the Korean War and had lost both legs and one of his arms. It was a heart-felt, soul-touching experience to meet such a gentleman who has such an astonishing, positive, and outstanding outlook on his life. He is truly a great American who deserves the admiration and respect of all of us for his dedication and sacrifice to our nation. In addition, Jim was able to collect over 200 pounds of processed game meat that was donated to the veteran’s clinic. This game meet was prepared and used to feed disabled vets who participated in this event.

How can you help? It’s very simple. As you are in the field this fall and as you become successful in your harvest, save the hide from your harvested animal. Most hunters likely do not take salt to the field; therefore, you may fold the hide flesh-to-flesh so that the flesh is not exposed to air. This is needed to prevent the hide from drying out. If this happens, the hide becomes unusable.

Upon your arrival home, you may temporarily freeze the hide until you are able to drop the hide off to a collection center where it will be salted and prepared by BPOE volunteers for the tanning process. If you prefer and have time, you may also:

1. Stretched out your hide on a flat surface at a slight incline.
2. Remove excess fat, flesh. However, please be careful so as to avoid damaging the hide with additional tears, cuts, or punctures in the hide
3. Liberally apply canning salt, table salt, or livestock salt. DO NOT USE ROCK SALT. Rub the salt onto the hide using rubber gloves. You cannot use too much salt.
4. You can then leave the hide open for 1-2 days until the salt is crusted. Fold the hide flesh-to-flesh so that the hair remains on the outside. You may then freeze and/or deliver to a collection center as soon as possible.

Listed below are contacts in various states that you may call to find the nearest collection center to you.

AZ	Wayne McIntire	480-861-7425		NM	Mark Vicker	575-445-8964
CO	Wayne Rodgers	303-279-1325		NV	Bob Marcum	775-293-1234
MI	Stew Israel	734-455-4567		UT	Gary Nelson	801-420-1841
NE	Tim Benson	402-362-0898		WY	Jeff Ellingson	307-630-2722
NJ	Custer Dalik	732-296-8370		WY	Drew Glanz	307-856-6992

If your state is not listed, you may also visit www.elks.org/vets/leather.cfm for more information on where to find a location center nearest you. You may also reach the National Chairman of this program, Dennis McAleese at 870-488-5786 for more information. Once your hide has been donated, it is prepared for tanning by volunteers, sent to tanners and made into wheel chair gloves. Remaining leather is used to make wallets and other smaller items for use by vets.

For more information, you can also download the Veterans Leather Program Instructional Guide HERE (PDF file).

This program started 60 years ago in California and has become a nationwide program to assist our disabled veterans. In speaking with Jim Vincent, Jim has indicated that the greatest challenge facing this program is simply “spreading the word” so that big game hunters are aware of this program so that hides are saved for use by our veterans. Please consider helping this program by donating your hide.

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About MDF (www.muledeer.org)

The Mule Deer Foundation is a national non-profit 501(c)3 organization, with over 12,000 members. MDF’s mission is to ensure the conservation of mule deer, black-tailed deer and their habitats. MDF is dedicated to restoring, improving and protecting mule deer habitat (including land and easement acquisitions) resulting in self-sustaining, healthy, free ranging and hunt-able deer populations; encouraging and supporting responsible wildlife management with government agencies, private organizations and landowners; promoting public education and scientific research related to mule deer and wildlife management; supporting and encouraging responsible and ethical behavior and awareness of issues among those whose actions affect mule deer; and acknowledging regulated hunting as a viable component of mule deer and black-tailed deer conservation.

For information about the Mule Deer Foundation please call 888-375-DEER (3337).