Volunteers Spent Weekend Outdoors with Disabled Teens
Teens Anthony Palombo,Hunter Stoots and Austin Pringle spent the weekend with the North Central Pheasants Forever chapter at Queenstown Lodge last weekend. (submitted photo)
by Jonathan Weaver
A Jefferson County teenager was one of three disabled teens that hunted and fished with a non-profit outdoor organization last weekend at a Bradys Bend lodge.
Austin Pringle, 13 of Falls Creek, participated in the 2015 Pheasants Forever Youth Outdoor Event at Queenstown Lodge near East Brady with volunteers from the North Central Chapter #630, of Ridgway (Elk County).
Austin, an eighth-grader at Brockway High School, was born with torn nerves from his spinal cord, causing him to have multiple surgeries to try and establish movement in his right hand.
Mother, Christine, said doctors have replaced the torn nerves with some from his legs and feet to enable minimal use.
“He can move it now, and he has feeling. But, he has a few more surgeries to go through,” Christine said. “He can grasp a little bit, but not a whole lot.”
Austin’s disability doesn’t stop him from hunting, or even karate or soccer.
“He challenges himself,” Christine said.
Christine and husband, Dennis, attended the event with Austin
“It was an amazing weekend – we couldn’t ask for anything else,” Christine said.
Along with the Pringle Family, teens Anthony Palombo (who is battling leukemia) and Hunter Stoots (who has a soft-tissue tumor in his knee, but now can walk without a limp) also participated in the weekend.
Numerous members and youth were on hand to create a great weekend to remember for these three young men, filled with shooting, hunting, UTV rides, geocaching and fishing.
All three teens were presented with pheasant mounts and scrapbooks that captured the memories of the weekend.
Adam Snow and his father, Skip, returned as this year’s guests to fry fish for the hungry crew on Friday night. Adam is an avid fisherman and was pleased to share his catch. Other numerous meals were cooked by Tim and Mary Jo Schneider who were PFYO guests during the very first weekend with their daughter, Emily.
All past Pheasants Forever Youth Outdoor youth and their families were invited to return for the weekend excursion to share memories for the Saturday night pig roast.
Emily Schneider and Jasmine Carlson, both young members, teamed up to create the scrapbooks of memories. Teen Chase Pontious worked his young dog for a bird hunt.
A dozen other Pheasant Forever volunteers were on hand to help make the weekend memorable.
Pheasants Forever Youth Chairman Tim Rowan enjoyed the weekend with the teenagers and also felt touched by the experience.
“I think it’s amazing that we as a group, although small in number, have accomplished so much. My goal starting out was to change the life of just one person and we’ve done that many times over,” Rowan said. “When I look at how some of the past participants have changed, I’m really proud of our group. When it gets right down to it, I’ve probably changed more than any participant - these kids and their families are an inspiration to me. I know they look up to us in many ways but feel we should be looking up to them.”
Austin is also now a member and committed himself to helping disabled and terminally-ill children, starting with a youth pheasant hunt this weekend in the State Game Lands near Brockway.
The Pheasants Forever 630 Chapter of North Central PA holds various events all year long to fund this weekend along with the PF Mentored Youth Hunts, veteran hunts and habitat work.
Local News | jweaver September 24, 2015
By Just sayin, September 24, 2015 @ 8:46 PM
If killing an animal makes them feel manly, so be it.
I don’t get pride with hunting when the predator has the gun/hook and the prey are defenseless.
Thank the spirit of the animal for giving up its life. Don’t teach children to pose and smile with their kill.
Pig roasts are archaic, as well. Pigs are smarter than dogs. Sure, ham tastes good, but would you roast your dog?
Some people just don’t want to let go of the caveman mentality.
There are so many more athletic and humanitarian activities these kids could be doing to make themselves feel proud…in helping, not killing.
By Just sayin, September 24, 2015 @ 8:51 PM
I’m sure you all mean well, but it is a bit barbaric, don’t you think?
I don’t eat animals with hooves, and I’m working toward eliminating poultry, then fish.