House in the Woods theme: ‘You are not alone’

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    LEE — Rarely does anything good come out of a tragedy such as the loss of a loved one. But House in the Woods is a notable exception.
    Two families who lost sons in Operation Iraqi Freedom have created a military retreat to help veterans heal the physical and mental wounds of war by hosting free organized hunting and fishing trips.

Photo courtesy of House in the Woods

    SUCCESSFUL HUNT — Pictured, from left, are Jerry James, Jerry Laffey, Mike Grant, Paul House and Al Thibeault showing their partridge off after hunting in the Oxbow region.

    House in the Woods was started by Paul and Deanna House whose son, Joel, died in combat in Iraq on June 23, 2007 – his mother’s birthday; and Bill and Quie Emery, who lost their son, Blair, to an IED strike six months later, also in Iraq.
    Thanks to widespread support from business and individual donations, House in the Woods has hosted disabled veterans’ moose hunts; bird, bear and deer hunts; fishing trips and other outdoor recreational activities. Food and lodging are provided at no cost.
    For Paul House, the results of the program are well worth the effort. “In many cases, we’ve seen a definite transformation,” he said. “We’ve had veterans come to our program who admitted that they once contemplated suicide. They won’t talk about their experiences, even with their families. But when they get together, the healing process begins.”
    House in the Woods appeals to men and women alike in all age groups. “We’ve had Korean, Vietnam, Desert Storm and Afghanistan veterans – young and old alike,” House said. “They find out they’re going through the same thing.”
    This fall has been extremely busy for House in the Woods, and House said he couldn’t be happier. “We had a great bird hunt in the Oxbow region with five of us,” House said. “Jerry James has a nice camp up there. He lost his son in a snowmobile accident a few years ago, and he was also in the Air National Guard. He came to a fundraiser we hosted a while back and said that if we wanted to use his camp for a bird hunt, we were welcome. So this was our third year up there.”
    So how far will House in the Woods take its veterans to hunt and fish? “We were in Wyoming for an antelope hunt in October,” House said. A Wyoming resident, Larry Ward, bought a moose lottery permit in 2012 that was donated to House in the Woods by the Penobscot Indian Nation. “Larry paid $15,000 for the right to hunt a moose in Maine,” Ward said.
    In addition, Ward paid for a trip to the Black Hills of Wyoming for an antelope hunt for a group of veterans and House. “The guide service, food and accommodations were all paid for. It was unbelievable,” House said.
    The co-founder of House in the Woods is also braced for a busy November. He’s been invited to speak at a veterans’ fundraiser in Connecticut on the Maine-based program.
    “This week, eight of us are going deer hunting in Garland. Ralph Prescott owns a camp there, and he’s donating the use of it,” House said.
    On Veterans’ Day weekend, another group of six will be hunting in Bridgewater at a camp donated by Dave Hentosh, the owner of Smoldering Lake Outfitters.  “These donations help us tremendously because it saves money and it’s always in an area where the hunting and fishing is good,” House said.
    But aside from the thrill of the hunt or a creel filled with tasty fish, the best results of a House in the Woods experience are the gratitude of the veterans who participate. “Our message is quite simple,” House said. “You are not alone. We care and we listen.”
    For more information, visit www.houseinthewoods.org or find them on Facebook.