PARKERSBURG, W.Va., Dec. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A wounded veteran who served nearly 10 years in Iraq and Afghanistan and his family are being honored by The Patriot Woodworker organization with a Christmas meal and presents for the children. Four corporate sponsors, including Woodcraft, are providing prizes for the organization's fundraiser to finance the project.
"Every year we adopt a Wounded Warrior or Gold Star family for Christmas through Operation Ward 57," Patriot Woodworker founder John Morris said. "We sponsor a raffle, supported by generous businesses, to honor the veteran and his or her family with food and gifts. So far our raffle participants have raised about $2,000 each year, and we hope that will hold true this year."
Benefit Details
Raffle tickets are available in seven different amounts from $2 to $100. A $2 ticket enters the purchaser's name one time in the random drawing; the other six dollar amounts offer multiple drawing entries from 3 to 110. Tickets will be available through Dec. 31, 2021.
Nine prizes include: from Woodcraft, a two-year subscription to Woodcraft Magazine, a Florip Toolworks 9" Dovetail Saw and a ONEWAY Bowl Steady; from Laguna, a 14|12 Bandsaw; from Easy Wood Tools a Full Size Finisher and a Mid Size Finisher; and from General Finishes, three eight-can selections of various finishes.
Winners' names will be randomly drawn after the benefit closes and announced in about 48 hours. To learn more or to donate, visit thepatriotwoodworker.com.
"Woodcraft appreciates the opportunity to partner with The Patriot Woodworker to say 'thank you' to Sgt. Mike Hulsey during this holiday season," Woodcraft President and CEO Jack Bigger said.
Meet Sgt. Mike Hulsey
Family – Mike and his wife Meaghan have been married 19 years and have three children, Austin, a college freshman; Elizabeth, who will soon turn 17; and Wyatt, who is 7. The Hulseys live in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Military Service – A month after Mike Hulsey began his US Army training as a generator mechanic, the 9/11 attacks forever changed his country and initiated events that would lead him to nearly 10 years of overseas deployments, primarily in the Middle East. In a matter of months he was attached to the 1st Marine Corps division, an infantry company, which was sent first to Kuwait and then to Baghdad as the invasion of Iraq began.
He reenlisted with the option to change his career field and was reclassified as an NBC man. He received NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical) Warfare Training at Fort Campbell and eventually was in Bagdad again, a deployment marked by three IED attacks and a house-to-house search that turned into a violent attack in which Hulsey and an interpreter were wounded.
"We were finally able to eliminate the threat and moved out to receive aid," Hulsey said. "I would later be awarded a Purple Heart for injuries related to this incident; however, unfortunately it was an IED that truly injured me during this deployment."
When he returned to Fort Campbell, Hulsey saw a spine specialist for lower back and hip pain. The condition worsened during deployment to Afghanistan where he was assigned to the Tactical Operations Center and the radio. At the end of the deployment, Hulsey was medically discharged and later had spinal surgery to correct ruptured discs in his back and to replace both hips.
Retirement – Now retired, Hulsey enjoys time with his family, including service dog Crocker, and fishing. To learn more about Sgt. Hulsey, read the Woodcraft blog and on The Patriot Woodworker website.
The Patriot Woodworker is a woodworking community with an emphasis on sharing and learning the skilled craft of woodworking and all of its related disciplines. Learn more at thepatriotwoodworker.com.
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Media Contact
Lori Harper, Woodcraft, 304-865-4107, [email protected]
SOURCE Woodcraft
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