HAVE Alaska has always been about bringing Veterans together through fellowship, and brotherhood on our Alaskan adventures. While Fish Magnet in Soldotna has been our venue of choice over the years, we have been lacking a key element that was blatantly obvious this season. An amazing Veteran came into our group that was strong and proud, but wheelchair bound. This limited his ability to interact with our group.
Harry Shaw was one of the greatest men I have had the honor of meeting, and I was able to have many conversations with him while he was here. I did notice that on some of our evenings, he would retire early, because our venue was not that wheelchair friendly, and it was too much to try and maneuver up and down our stairs. After our event was over, I reached out to Fish Magnet, DeWalt Tools, and Spenard Builders Supply for a solution, and they were all eager to help!
We are hoping to build a wheelchair ramp that will lead up to the main lodge and guest cabin for proper wheelchair access. We have the plans prepared, and are hoping to have this completed by early spring, before our next group of Veterans arrive. Spenard Builders Supply, DeWalt tools, and Douglas Construction have been very generous, however we are still looking for donations toward this project.
Harry Shaw was one of the greatest men I have had the honor of meeting, and I was able to have many conversations with him while he was here. I did notice that on some of our evenings, he would retire early, because our venue was not that wheelchair friendly, and it was too much to try and maneuver up and down our stairs. After our event was over, I reached out to Fish Magnet, DeWalt Tools, and Spenard Builders Supply for a solution, and they were all eager to help!
We are hoping to build a wheelchair ramp that will lead up to the main lodge and guest cabin for proper wheelchair access. We have the plans prepared, and are hoping to have this completed by early spring, before our next group of Veterans arrive. Spenard Builders Supply, DeWalt tools, and Douglas Construction have been very generous, however we are still looking for donations toward this project.
| fishmagnet-elevations.pdf |
| fishmagnet-plans.pdf |
Sergeant
Harry E. Shaw
United States Army
Sergeant Harry E. Shaw, U.S. Army Retired, lives outside of Bandera, Texas. Harry served with the United States Army's 82nd Airborne Division from September 1981 to June of 1984. SGT Shaw was assigned to Alpha Battery 1/320th Airborne Field Artillery, 82nd Airborne Division as an Airborne Cannon Fire Direction Specialist. On October 25th 1983, then Specialist Four Shaw deployed with the 82nd Airborne Division in the opening phase of Operation Urgent Fury, Grenada, where he was assigned to the 2nd Brigade Tactical Operations Center (TOC) for the 82nd Airborne Division. It was while assigned to the 2nd Brigade TOC that Harry was severely wounded by a 20 mm cannon resulting in the loss of both of his legs. Eight months later, SGT. Shaw was medically retired from the United States Army.
Harry graduated Summa Cum Laude from The University of the Incarnate Word in 1991 with a Bachelors of Arts in History and Politics and studied for a Masters in History at Texas State University. SGT Shaw's military awards include the Basic Parachute Badge, The Canadian Basic Parachutist Wings, the Bronze Star with combat "V" for Valor Device and the Purple Heart.
Harry, his wife Ginny and Daughter Lucienne live on a farm outside of Bandera with their flock of 20+ chickens, 3 donkeys, 2 pot-bellied pigs, 36 bobwhite quail, and 4 goats. Harry and Ginny have two older children, Sebastian, 28, and teaches for NSID in San Antonio and Chloe, 26, and works as a wedding planner in Corpus Christi. The Shaws also have a granddaughter, Maia, 4.
Harry graduated Summa Cum Laude from The University of the Incarnate Word in 1991 with a Bachelors of Arts in History and Politics and studied for a Masters in History at Texas State University. SGT Shaw's military awards include the Basic Parachute Badge, The Canadian Basic Parachutist Wings, the Bronze Star with combat "V" for Valor Device and the Purple Heart.
Harry, his wife Ginny and Daughter Lucienne live on a farm outside of Bandera with their flock of 20+ chickens, 3 donkeys, 2 pot-bellied pigs, 36 bobwhite quail, and 4 goats. Harry and Ginny have two older children, Sebastian, 28, and teaches for NSID in San Antonio and Chloe, 26, and works as a wedding planner in Corpus Christi. The Shaws also have a granddaughter, Maia, 4.
