GWSmith Posted December 6, 2008 Report Share Posted December 6, 2008 I'll be leaving in a few hours and drive over to meet another forum member. Today I'll get to meet Monsterbucks1(Kevin Austin) and his family as well...and you just cant get a better reason than this for a get together! Anyone in the Western New York area thats looking for something to do this evening this should fill the ticket nicely;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOYTnMUZZYboy Posted December 6, 2008 Report Share Posted December 6, 2008 What a great cause for a fellow brother. If I was closer I would be there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwoods07 Posted December 6, 2008 Report Share Posted December 6, 2008 Cheers to whoever organized this, as well as anyone that is able to go. I just wish it was a few hours closer. Good luck with everything and hope it goes well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazylegz70 Posted December 6, 2008 Report Share Posted December 6, 2008 I def wish i was a little closer. This is a great cause and tell Kevin that we wish him the best... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted December 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2008 I'm headed out the door Kevin...should be there in about 3-1/2hrs. Looking forward to meeting you and your family;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted December 6, 2008 Report Share Posted December 6, 2008 have a great time, gw. i hope it's a wild success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJR Posted December 6, 2008 Report Share Posted December 6, 2008 Wishing him and his family the best! Sorry to hear something like this happened! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted December 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2008 Back home safe...I'll upload some pics later today. It was a special night...like attending a family reunion:cool::cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted December 7, 2008 Report Share Posted December 7, 2008 Did you post this earlier in the week? I might have tried to go if I had read about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted December 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2008 Sorry Joe...I did'nt get permission to post anything publicly until the day of the event:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted December 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2008 Here are a few pictures from the Benefit: Kevin next to his "Toys":p A Benefit attendee who got a suprise Hug and a well deserved "Welcome Home" that he did'nt expect... There was a Signed Hockey Stick from Buffalo Sabres player Drew Stafford you could have bought tickets for. Also a .22 rifle and a shotgun with an extra rifled barrell as well that tickets were sold for. Some of the Chinese Auction items to bid on... (BTW My wife ended up with that beautiful blue/white handmade afghan on the end) A few items for the sports fans as well... Kevin and his friend "Wild Bill"...with some of the 200+ people who attended in the backround:cool: Like I said earlier it was very much like attending a family reunion. By the end of the night I had kids climbing all over me and the elderly ladies were picking on me like family...both of which I thoroughly enjoyed;) Kevins Daughter "McKayla" helped me place my tickets in the different buckets for the chinese auction so my Wife wants me to say Thank You for the afghan...and "Kyra" got me wrapped around her little finger in about 2 seconds as well:o:D It did'nt take long before Mr. & Mrs. Austin became "Dad & Mom"...both very kind and gracious people! Here's a pic of them with Kevin and his Wife Angela.. Me and my new Buddy whom I'm going on a Pheasant Hunt with next year:p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted December 7, 2008 Report Share Posted December 7, 2008 That had to be a great time well spent! I like your forum member thingy GW. One of these days hopefully Bucknrut aka Art gets that picture posted of us:) First RT member I ever met. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted December 7, 2008 Report Share Posted December 7, 2008 good job, gw. i like the name tag too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
too_pointer Posted December 7, 2008 Report Share Posted December 7, 2008 Way to go, you make a real difference in many lives, we are proud of you, ( especially me ) LOL. too_ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Andrus Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 Sorry i couldnt make it Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted December 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 (edited) I wish you could have too Tim...that would have blown Kevin away! The drive over there took 3:45minutes from here but that was just about as much game sighting as a man should have to suffer through...lol Giant flocks of Turkeys just east of the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, Geese in every cut corn field, Deer...Big Deer....near the "Clarence Service Area - 1 mile" sign(headed west on the NY thruway) ...and if that was'nt enough I got to see someone using some different kind of thinking in a partially harvested corn field: A pop-up blind sitting on top of a flatbed farm trailer that looked like it had been there awhile. That thing had to be bolted down somehow... because the wind looked like it was beating it up pretty bad:D The trip back home only took 3-1/2hrs and before I left the Buffalo area I went to see what these "Tim Hortons" were all aboot...LOL Those Canucks were not lying...Thats Really Good Coffee;) So the drive home was relatively uneventful and when only 2 miles south of my house coming to an intersection I almost had an MVA. Going only half the speed limit because of the blowing snow and road conditions I caught a stretch of ice, the anti-lock brakes started popping, and theres a line of 3 cars going through the intersection just as I'm trying to stop...but cant! The last car looked like it was about to be imprinted with the drivers side of my Chevy Blazer when my turning to the right started to work slightly. Luckily the cars made it past me...the last car just happened to be a New York State Trooper who promptly lit-up the intersection in flashing lights and I can see his face through the window of his car as we were sliding at each other..he looked about as suprised as I was at the time. He pulled up behind me and walked to the window of my truck and asked what happened. I explained and he took my drivers license to check it. Shortly afterwards he returned and handed me my license with the statement "Get Home Safe". OK, Thank You,...so I pulled ahead slightly to turn around so I could continue home and he pulled out from behind me and attempted to make a U-Turn. I say attempted...he spun around twice and almost smacked the gaurdrail. The entire intersection was a sheet of Ice. ...so when I posted that I had returned home safe...I Meant It and I was wired from adrenaline like I had drank 10 pots of coffee at the time too:eek: Watched a few recorded hunting shows and mellowed out quite nicely afterwards;) P.S. If anyone would like to make a donation to Kevins family Send me a PM and I'll relay the contact information I have to you. Thank You Edited December 8, 2008 by GWSmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Andrus Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 sounds like a good time there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 Too cool Gary..too cool I love your name tag. You done Realtree proud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJR Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 The most important thing about this is "People Can Make a Difference"! Thanks GW and I am glad you went and shared this with us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 Looks like a great turn out! I like that we are scattered out but sometimes I wish events were closer to home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 That is cool Gary. Looks like it was a great time and for a good cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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