Right off the bat, we are not talking about a bridge that carries you over a river or a road. We are talking about the a bridge that is connecting two groups of Americans, the military community and the civilian community.  For three years in a row, the Warrior Bonfire Program has leaned on the support of various communities in southeast Texas, to help us provide a pig and predator hunt as one of our signature Bonfire events for six of our Purple Hearts to attend. Every year the comments at the end of the weekend from the Veterans center around the same theme.  The renewed faith they have in civilians and experiencing true appreciation for their service in the United States Military.

Quotes like, “I didn’t know that civilians cared so much” or “I am overwhelmed with how many there are here to help and how much they are doing for us.”

The food provided at this hunt is amazing! Typical courses are steaks, gumbo, crawfish, Bar-B-Que, with all the fixings and desert too! There is a group of seven companies that call themselves the Southeast Texas Agriculture Support Group, that pulled their resources and employees together to provide these feasts. Beaumont Tractor, Hlavinka, Doguet’s Diamond Ranch, J&E Welding Inc., Seabreeze Culvert Inc., GCR Tires of Beaumont and Shoppa’s John Deere.  Along with this grand effort of generous people are a group of ladies of the Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church Alter Society providing deserts and breakfast casseroles.  More than once we have heard a Purple Heart say, “I ate more than I ever normally do because I wanted to make sure they knew I loved it!”

The community also comes out with an outpouring of gifts like custom hunting knives, tumblers with the Warrior Bonfire logo engraved, high end coolers, t-shirts, hats, gift cards, handmade wooden flags with shell casings for stars, local seasonings, and State of Texas shot glasses from the local congressman. It’s like Christmas! The Heart of Texas bleeds red, white and blue and their passion for giving back to our Veterans is second to none! They appreciate our Veterans and our Veterans appreciate them.
Our hostess Judy Lewis along with her husband Cody, and their big time helper Brandy Winkler, made our Veterans comfortable at the Triple D Guest Ranch to be well rested for their hog hunts with Cody Stewart and his crew.

Months of preparation and organizing goes into this event each year, pulling in new support and ways to show how much they care for our Veterans, such as a private show by comedian Erik Knowles, also a Marine Veteran. Our unending gratitude for our Board of Adviser Ernest Clement, Jr. and Justin Lewis for pulling all these wonderful people together.