# Outbackers.com Supports Our Troops



## PDX_Doug

It is with great honor, and no small amount of personal pride, that I would like to announce the recent financial contribution by attendees of the 2007 Western Region Outbackers.com Rally in Virgin, Utah, to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. During the course of the rally, we sold raffle tickets for a beautiful "Made in Oregon" basket generously provided by members Dean and Jodi (jnk36jnk) and others. The basket included a variety of Oregon produced items including some of our best wines, cheeses and slugs (that's right... Slugs!), among other things. When all was said and done, we were able to collect $205 , and the entire amount has been donated to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.

The following - taken from the funds web site - should give you a better idea than I ever could, just what the fund and the people behind it are all about...

_The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund is a leader in supporting the men and women of the Armed Forces and their families. Begun in 2000 under the auspices of the Intrepid Museum Foundation, and established as an independent not-for-profit organization in 2003, the Fund has provided close to $60 million in support for the families of military personnel lost in service to our nation, and for severely wounded military personnel and veterans. These efforts are funded entirely with donations from the public, and hundreds of thousands of individuals have contributed to the Fund. 100% of contributions raised by the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund go towards these programs; all administrative expenses are underwritten by the Fund's Trustees.

From 2000 to 2005 the Fund provided close to $20 million to families of United States military personnel lost in performance of their duty, mostly in service in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Fund provided unrestricted grants of $11,000 to each spouse and $5,000 to each dependent child; and $1,000 to parents of unmarried servicemembers. The payments were coordinated with the casualty offices of the Armed Forces, to ensure all families received these benefits. In 2005 a new law substantially increased the benefits granted to these families. With that mission therefore accomplished, the Fund redirected its support toward the severely injured. For information on Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund support provided to families of those lost prior to May 12, 2005, click here.

In January 2007, the Fund completed construction of a $40 million world-class state-of-the-art physical rehabilitation center at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. Click here for more information on the opening.. The "Center for the Intrepid" serves military personnel who have been catastrophically disabled in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and veterans severely injured in other operations and in the normal performance of their duties. The 60,000 square foot Center provides ample space and facilities for the rehabilitation needs of the patients and their caregivers. It includes state-of-the-art physical rehabilitation equipment and extensive indoor and outdoor facilities. The Center is co-located with two 21-room Fisher Houses that house the families of patients (www.fisherhouse.org).

Although sufficient funding has been received for the Center's construction costs, the Fund is accepting donations to provide additional services for our wounded military and veteran heroes and their families. The Fund's Board of Trustees is currently determining, in consultation with the Armed Forces and the Department of Veterans Affairs, the next area of need for our wounded military personnel and veterans that the Fund will address. All contributions received will be directed to support this new project._

For more information, please visit the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund website, at www.fallenheroesfund.org.

In closing, I would like to offer my heartfelt thank you to all who participated in this '







' cause. And to the Outbackers that were unable to attend the Zion rally, if you have a couple of extra bucks lying around, it's hard to think of a more '







' cause.

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## W4DRR

That was a very wonderful thing you folks did! My hat's off to you!









Bob


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## ARzark

W4DRR said:


> That was a very wonderful thing you folks did! My hat's off to you!
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> Bob


I agree!!!


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## andrhuxl

*You guys Rock!!!*


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## N7OQ

A very noble cause, I salute you all! Now I have to ask what do you you do with the slugs


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## PDX_Doug

I like to pan fry 'em. With a little butter and garlic.








Add a cold beer, and life just doesn't get any better!

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## NDJollyMon

Very cool Doug. That's the hospital my son was born at when I was in the military! (BAMC)


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## N7OQ

PDX_Doug said:


> I like to pan fry 'em. With a little butter and garlic.
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> Add a cold beer, and life just doesn't get any better!
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> Happy Trails,
> Doug


Now I hope you are kidding, but I have eaten escargot so who knows I guess a slug is just escargot without a shell







We have these huge Banana slugs on the coast can one eat them?


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