Friendship Of course they all wanted to catch fish. But that isn’t all close to 100 veterans were looking forward to when Fins for Freedom hosted their 4th annual day of fishing.
Nor was catching a striper even the primary thing most were looking forward to as they ate breakfast and got their assignments at the Senior Center at the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Harbor shortly after dawn Saturday morning.
“Just a day of fun,” said Richard Mills of Richfield Park, a former medical officer in the Navy. Mills noted he was a Navy Captain but most of his work was with Marines.
Maria Salazar of Somerville was a Marine and served ten years in the Corps, While she has fished, she thinks of herself as “a beginner” in the sport in the bay or ocean but she was eager to go “just to spend some time with some other vets and have some fun.”
Francis Cortes, also of Somerville and an Army veteran after seven years of service with the infantry, was looking forward to his first time fishing aboard a boat. But even more, he grinned, was the opportunity to be with other veterans and converse.
Cleveland Stanard of Asbury Park was on Fins for Freedom’s fishing trip last year and came back for this year’s event simply “because it was so much fun.” He had served in the Marine Corps four years and was looking forward to his trip with Fins for Freedom once again.
Joe Hickman and J.J. Schneider both live at of Soldier On in Tinton Falls and were both on the day’s outing for the first time. Both learned of the day, which also included breakfast and dinner at On the Deck Restaurant after a full day of fishing aboard a private boat with captain and mate, from flyers at Soldier On and both took advantage of the opportunity to spend a day on the water.
Hickman served two years in the Army working as a medic, and Schneider, served with the Air Force. Catching a fish was a priority, he said, but “still, just having fun is all I’m looking forward to.”
The captains who were donating their boat and expertise for the day were as happy as the veterans they were taking out for fishing, primarily in the Bay because “that’s where all the fish are.” Most, some of whom are veterans, some not, said they joined Fins for Freedom “just to give back,” or “to help our veterans, “ or “so they know they’re not forgotten, and we appreciate everything they did for us.”
They met their crews over breakfast Saturday morning and brought them to their boats in the harbor. Fins for Freedom volunteers had divided each of the veterans into groups of two to four to go with each of the captains and mates, making the transition from stranger to new friend in a quick and orderly fashion.
For more information on Fins for Freedom and how you can sponsor or be an active player in next year’s event, visit FinsforFreedom.org
