Jimmy Troy, a U.S. Army veteran who lives in Jefferson City, stood on the dock Monday morning floating on the pond at Turkey Creek Golf Course and Ken Lanning Golf Center, casting his lure out and cranking it back in.
Troy was among about 40 veterans at the course for the inaugural Heroes Outing, a day of relaxation and camaraderie in which they spent a day golfing, fishing and relaxing together free of charge.
His wife and two of his children attended the outing with him. As his daughters caught perch off the ADA-accessible fishing dock, his wife caught several bass off the shore.
"It's always the goal to catch the big fish," Troy said. "I love stuff like this - anything to get veterans out there."
Fighting anxiety and depression on a daily basis make it almost impossible for Troy to get out and do things like Monday's outing, he said.
Troy served in the Army for 13 years. He keeps a list in his pocket of seven of his "buddies" who died while he was on a tour in Iraq from September 2003 to September 2004. The typed list of names and their homes stays neatly folded until he gets it out to show people.
"I'm trying to live for them and honor them," Troy said. "One was a roommate in Korea. One was like a brother."
They were all "Midwestern boys" who were killed by improvised explosive devices over the course of the year.
Troy and his family were not alone at the course in their support of veterans and soldiers who didn't come home alive.
In all, about 80 people attended the outing, said Pat Rowe Kerr, an event committee member.
Organizers hoped the event would raise about $45,000 to buy three ADA-compliant golf carts for the center. The course already has one ADA golf cart and the country's only ADA-accessible nine-hole golf course.
With its shotgun start (meaning teams all started play at the same time on different holes), a nine-hole tournament kicked off the outing.
Turkey Creek has artificial turf greens, which allow wheelchairs and carts to drive on them. Disabled-accessible golf carts use hydraulics to help people with severe disabilities stand (or pivot their seat) so they can swing a golf club.
Veterans on the course stood out, wearing their star-spangled "Heroes Outing" shirts and, in many cases, wide-brimmed hats to keep the sun off their heads.
You don't have to be disabled to play golf at Turkey Creek, said Steve Brown, a U.S. Marines veteran who participated in the golf tournament.
"One of the premier reasons (I'm playing) is to draw attention to this course," Brown said. "It's kind of an addictive game. And these synthetic greens are like putting on a pool table."
It's a great way to spend a holiday, said Rick Fechtel, another U.S. Marines veteran.
"I'm proud to do it," Fechtel said. "I'm proud for all veterans."
Whether or not the outing serves as a fundraiser in future years, organizers hope it continues as a day when veterans can relax with people with shared experiences, get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and connect with resources they may find beneficial.
Jason Howe stood under a temporary pavilion with his two rescue dogs - Sobe, a boxer/pit bull terrier mix and Ram, a Belgian Malinois.
Howe, a dog trainer and the Midwest coordinator for K9s on the Front Line, said the Maine-based nonprofit organization provides certified, trained service dogs to military veterans affected by post traumatic stress disorder and/or traumatic brain injury.
Operated by volunteers and funded through donations, its program is intended to improve care for veterans and reduce the number of veteran suicides, according to the nonprofit's website.
Another goal of the organization is to save dogs from euthanasia. The organization harnesses the connection between dogs and humans to intercept humans' flashbacks and nightmares.
Howe said he's preparing to start a 16-week training program to connect veterans with canines. Small classes of four to six veterans are held for two hours once a week or twice a week for one hour. Veterans are required to complete additional training of 120 hours at home through the course of 16 weeks.
"It's a lot of work," Howe said. "When I trained with Sobe, I had 320 hours."
If you're not a veteran or if you just have a dog who needs a little work on obedience, Howe currently is conducting training classes from 10-11 a.m. Saturdays. Contact him via Facebook @mok9sotfl to apply to join the class. It costs $75, with proceeds going to veterans and service dogs. Be certain to leave an email address for Howe to respond to.
Also on hand during the Heroes Outing was Patty Henry, executive director of the Missouri Mental Health Foundation. The nonprofit is intended to raise awareness and public understanding of the many issues affecting people living with mental illness, developmental disabilities and substance use disorder.
The organization has longstanding ties to Turkey Creek Golf Course and the Ken Lanning Golf Center, Henry said.
It started with an "inclusive golf program," teaching youth the game. Then the organization's board of directors got behind programs for people struggling with mental illness or disabilities. It met with golf professionals in St. Louis.
It has started a golf program focused on youth struggling with substance abuse and mental health disorders. There will likely be another program for students served by Jefferson City High School Special Services in the fall, Henry said.
"It's a once-a-week, hour-and-a-half golf session that lasts five weeks," she said. "Their confidence - you can see it build. A lot of these folks have been through an awful lot. They found (the program) relieved all their stress."