Outstanding Year Wraps Up for Warriors on the Water

The Montana Warriors on the Water wrapped up their flagship week on July 28 with a feast, an auction and a concert by the Southern Drawl Band. But not before helping 18 veterans get out on the beautiful waters of Fort Peck Lake and snag some amazing fish, build camaraderie and help them reach out for support from the dozens of programs that offer them help.

According to one of the groups many organizers and volunteers, Jace Ball the emergency department physician's assistant at FMDH and a Montana Air National Guard Veteran, the event this year was outstanding. They estimated over 60 volunteers on the Glasgow side alone came together to give the veterans a week of fishing, camping, shooting and concert going coupled with building comraderie and support amongst the veterans themselves.

Ball was excited about the health of the program following the recent wrap up at the Fort Peck Marina. The group was able to bring in over $45,000 with personal donations still flowing in. To contrast that, Ball pointed out that the first year the benefit was held in Miles City and raised $14,000, two years later the event was moved to the Fort Peck Marina and raised $21,000. This year the outpouring of support for the program was incredible, according to Ball.

Ball was grateful not only for the donations and funding support but also for the countless volunteers who came together to help with logistics, fishing and shooting for the veterans served by the program. He especially sought to thank the youth of the Student Council, this year namely Merlin, Ellis and Iris McKean, Wilson Overby, Micah Tweten and Ali Cunningham, along with Rod Karst.

"I cannot speak highly enough for the student council and Rod Karst," said Ball adding that their support and the support of the entire community is the result of, "The culture Glasgow has created for itself." Ball said the student council approached him in 2015 looking to support veterans groups while he was working with the Montana Wounded Warriors Program in Columbia Falls, Mont. Since then they have continued to raise funds through their fun runs.

Eventually, Ball said the council felt they could contribute more and they began to cook and serve breakfast for the event. The group cooked not only for the 18 veterans but for all of the 100 plus volunteers, boat captains and observers of the event.

Montana Warriors on the Water is a non-profit group dedicated to helping veterans of the US Armed Forces experience the outdoors, build camaraderie and, if necessary, get support from fellow veterans. The group began in Miles City roughly four years ago with a one week fishing expedition in Hell Creek. Ball said he was asked to volunteer as medical support because of his work with Wounded Warriors. He went on to dedicate himself to the project and convinced them to move part of the week to the Marina to give Glasgow a better chance to support the effort.

Applicants are screened from all over the country, flown to Montana for an all expenses paid fishing expedition. This year five of the participants were from Montana but Ball says they try to get as many Montanans as they can, but that it is also nice to show off this beautiful region of Montana to people from various parts of the country.

Ball's support of the program is evident through his dedication to it, and he commended those who support Warrirors on the Water. He is especially grateful for the event's major contributors Jon and Debbie Morford, who Ball credits with keeping the program alive through volunteer and monetary contributions.

As for the future of Warriors on the Water, the benefit auction and the Southern Drawl Band, Ball does not think any of it will change, but that it will likely expand. "Planning for a bigger, better year, but we want to expand into more hunting trips," said Ball adding "I would like to see more local events taking care of our own." As for the band coming back Ball doesn't see that changing anytime soon, "It will continue to press on this way."