Vista Outdoor Inc. (VSTO) donated $10,000 to Hand in Hand Outdoors to assist with the organization’s construction of an out-camp dedicated to the memory of fallen service members from Utah and Wyoming. The check was presented during Vista Outdoor’s sales conference held in Park City, UT.
“Vista Outdoor has a strong commitment to honoring the brave men and women who serve our country in the Armed Forces,” said Dave Allen, senior vice president of sales for Vista Outdoor. “This donation, and our partnership with Hand in Hand Outdoors, is a small way for us to say thank you for their sacrifice.”
Hand in Hand Outdoors’ mission is to reduce the effects of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the subsequent high suicide rates by providing healing outdoor recreational therapy to Utah’s disabled combat veterans and their families.
Colonel Randy Watt, a Utah Army National Guard service-disabled combat veteran and chairman of the board for Hand in Hand Outdoors, and Matt Barber, one of the original founders of Hand in Hand Outdoors, were on hand to receive the check.
“This generous donation from Vista Outdoor will go a long way toward the completion of the American Heroes Camp, a place where disabled veterans and Gold Star families can go and heal in the peace and solitude of Utah’s outdoors,” said Watt. “We are grateful to Vista Outdoor, their leadership team and their employees for partnering with us today and in the future in creating such a unique location dedicated to our veterans and their families.”
The out-camp serves disabled combat veterans, Gold Star families and disabled children of military members from Utah and Wyoming. As well as the camp, the American Heroes Project also keeps a professional-quality and wheelchair accessible fishing boat at Flaming Gorge Reservoir near Manila, UT for use by camp attendees and other Hand in Hand patrons. Vista Outdoor’s donation will go toward finishing the construction of an all-weather wheelchair accessible living deck area for the camp.
“Our mission is to bring the world outside,” said Allen. “We understand how important it is for everyone to be able to enjoy the outdoors. We’re proud to support this project that will allow disabled military veterans to reconnect with nature.”
Vista Outdoor is a designer, manufacturer and marketer of consumer products in the outdoor sports and recreation markets. The company is headquartered in Farmington, UT and has manufacturing operations and facilities in 13 U.S. States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico along with international sales and sourcing operations in Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe and New Zealand.
