Ahh….the joy of receiving that special valentine from a loved one! The world celebrates love on this holiday.

A wise senior woman once said to me, “Dear, a little love goes a long way”.

We at House in the Woods love our active military and all our Veterans on an every-moment-of-the-day basis.

Our lodge exists for those who serve our country and those who have valiantly served: our combat wounded, our vets from all wars and their families.

In the “land of the free and home of the brave”, we send our love and gratitude to all our volunteers who continue to help our veterans and our military to rest, talk and gather with other brothers and sisters, each time they join us at House in the Woods lodge in Lee, Maine. Our nonprofit could not function without these fabulous volunteers.

Happy Valentine’s day to our men and women serving both home and deployed, a thousand miles away!!

Valentines From Home

A soldier doesn’t fight because he hates what is in front of him. A soldier fights because he loves what he left behind. – Author unknown

We are on a mission to honor those who gave so much, left so much behind and came home to often relive it all over again: our combat wounded and those silently suffering with PTSD.

We honor all our combat wounded, all our warriors, all our heroes!

Women Veterans Event

We were joined at the lodge by Catherine Gordon and Jack Mosher of Gold Star Outfitters to help these awesome, well trained Armed Forces women with a refresher course in survival skills!

House in the Woods lodge , 217 Skunk Hill Road, Lee, Maine.

Fine Art of Fly Fishing

Number 1: Wait for the snow to melt before stepping into that body of water, but hone your skills in the cold of winter.

Yes, Catherine Gordon and Gloria Lavertu can tie flies with the best of them!!

Catherine Gordon shares: Gold Star Outfitters joined the inspiring House In The Woods team for their inaugural women’s outdoor survival event! It was a true honor to join these quiet professionals in the company of amazing women warriors. Despite the challenging weather, we enjoyed with much laughter and some tears wonderful companionship, while snowshoeing, fire starting, shelter building, knot tying, cribbage, fly tying and casting. A relaxing, fun filled event!

Nichole Rena Champ

Paul house learning right along with the veterans!

House in the Woods LOVES having the Women veterans events. We are so grateful for their service and sacrifices.

VETERANS..VERY SPECIAL WOMEN

To All Our Women Veterans, We Say…..

And Happy Valentines Day to Each of You!

Jack Mosher shares: Amazing women…such a joy to meet and spend time with them!!❤️

Jack teaching knot tying

Just a refresher course for these two veterans!

Number 2: Practice rod casting year round!!

Rod casting practice makes for perfect fly fishing!! A little snow and ice never stops these hearty vets!!

Great article on The Outbound Collective web site:

5 Reasons You Need to Try Fly Fishing

According to Outward Bound: It takes brains, it’s a killer workout, the view from the middle of the river is special, it’s a challenge, and it’s fun!

Into the Woods for Training

Winter camp survival class with Jack Mosher, Founder & CEO of Goldstar Outfitters.

Aaron “Woodchopper” Green~Morse

Nichole “Firestarter” Rhena Champ

Aaron Greene~Morse shares: This was so much fun to be a part of!
Thank you Paul House and the HITW crew 💓for all you do.
Thank you Gold Star Outfitters for your time, knowledge and enthusiasm! Snowshoeing, fire building, shelter demo and fly rod casting is the best way to spend a week in the Maine woods. Cribbage is my new favorite game again!!

Catherine Gordon advises: always good to have a knife handy...guess which is hers and which is Jack’s??

Catherine Gordon shares: We were so happy and honored to be part of this event! It was such a wonderful event and I was so happy to meet you! You did an outstanding job in all events – especially cribbage – lol! I’m practicing up for next time! 😄

Please read Catherine’s blog on Gold Star Outfitters where she shares her experience during this event Strong Women

Hitting the Trails Snowshoeing

HOUSE IN THE WOODS 8TH ANNUAL ICE FISHING DERBY

WE HAD SOME WINTER FUN!!!

Hundreds converged at Great Pond Outdoor Adventure Center for the House in the Woods 8th annual ice fishing derby fundraiser!!

People from far and wide arrived at Great Pond Outdoor Adventure Center to join in for a fabulous day of ice fishing fundraiser for House in the Woods!!

Dee House shares: The 8th Annual Great Pond Ice Fishing Derby on Jan 20, 2018. What an awesome event!! Thank you so much to Al and Jean Morrow for organizing, Judy Manzo and staff for making the venue so awesome, Shawna from FoxNews22 for covering the event, and all the fisher men, women, and children who came out to support House in the Woods and America ‘s veterans.

Restrictions on catch

But we had some winners!!

Brown Trout: Mike Brasslet Small Mouth Bass: Shawn Trojano Pickerel: Derrick Douglas

Fishing buddies

Weighing in

Shawna of FoxNews 22 joined in the fun!

Family Fun Freezing For Fishing!!

Some even had nice warm huts!!

Fun on the ice!

Dads, Moms, Kids of all ages..and, yes their dogs!

Even grandparents were catching fish!

Breakfast sandwiches bacon or ham sold like hotcakes!! Lunch choices were many: homemade beef stew, chili, hot dogs, chili dogs, yeast rolls, lots of sweets…….AND…..

Yes, they grill year~round in Maine…even on the ice!

House in the Woods would like to say Welcome Aboard, Katrina Kinkead. Katrina has been with us since 2015 as an administrative volunteer. She is officially working for HITW as a much~needed, and already invaluable staff member.

Left to right: Katrina Kinkead, Jennifer Freelove, and Keith Freelove.

(this photo caught the sunlight directly in Katrina’s face, but we wanted to share the fact of three siblings serving in the Navy at the same time!)

1st class petty officer Katrina is retired 20+ years from the United States Navy. She is pictured here with her sister Chief Jennifer Freelove retired and brother Keith Freelove who make us all very proud, especially their mom, Diane Blackman Freelove who is also an awesome volunteer for House in the Woods.

Hunting with brother Keith.

Katrina served in the Navy from March 1992- March 2012. She lives in Mattawamkeag, Maine and is mother to two great sons.

Navy Communications,Norfolk VA 1993-1998, Naval Air Station Italy 1998-2002, Naval Communications Naples, Italy 2002-2005, Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, MD 2006-2009, USS Carter Hall, Little Creek, VA, 2009-2012. Stationed in Sigonella during Kosovo Operations and 9/11. Deployed to Baghdad, Iraq while stationed at NAVEODTECH. USS Carter Hall was first ship to respond after earthquake in Haiti.

Katrina’s last deployment was to the Persian Gulf area for nine months. At that time Katrina was able to visit with her sister Jennifer in Rota, Spain on their last night of liberty. Jennifer was on the USS Kearsarge.

Katrina shares:I met Paul House at the Sportsman Show in Orono and talked to him about HITW. The following year I signed up for the turkey hunt (2014). I started volunteering after talking to Dee House who said she needed help but everybody wanted to volunteer with Paul and be outside…..(smile)

We are so grateful that this talented, dedicated veteran, Katrina decided to help with the administrative side which wears about 15 different hats!!! Perfect person for the job!!

GET READY FOR HUNTING SEASON!

Help a wounded veteran enjoy moose hinting in 2018. Donate your moose tag.

House in the Woods has been so fortunate to have many of our Maine residents donate their moose tag to allow a wounded combat warrior to enjoy a week of moose hunting at our lodge in Lee, Maine.

If you have read our previous newsletters during Moose Season you will have seen some of the great pictures of our Armed Forces hunting with our Registered Maine Guides. It becomes a week these warriors cherish forever.

Paul House Shares: Anyone applying for a moose tag this year, if you get drawn and want to donate it to a wounded veteran please let me know. House in the Woods will take care of the guiding, equipment, food etc.

Please message me or call me at: 207-570-4806. Thank you. Paul.

March 3rd 2018

Hunter Safety Course Online and Hands-on March 3rd 2018. 8 a.m~3:30 pm at House in the Woods in Lee.

To register call Frank Roy @ 461-1185

Get Hunting certified in 3 steps.

Study and pass the free course.
Finish any other requirements.
Get ready to go hunting!

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Requirements

You must be at least 10 years old to take this online course.

You must be a resident of Maine to take the online course.

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A REGISTERED MAINE GUIDE?

May 4th~6th 2018

The Cole Land Transportation Museum of Bangor and House in the Woods Military and Family Retreat of Lee share a common goal of supporting veterans. In an effort to attain that goal we have teamed up to host a free Registered Maine Guide School for Veterans May 4-6, at the Cole Land Transportation Museum, 405 Perry Road.

This program is open to all Maine veterans, or active/reserve members who have served honorably in the United States Armed Forces. There is a limit of 25 students for the course. The 25 students will be selected through an application process.

This is a three-day course that will teach the successful applicant the skills needed to pass the Registered Maine Guide Exam administered by the Maine State Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department in the disciplines of hunting, fishing, and/or recreation. This course does not administer any certification exams and is not affiliated with the State of Maine in any way.

This guide course program is May 4-5 2018. Sunday May 6^th, participants have the option to take First Aid course and receive their certification, a requirement to become a Registered Maine Guide. The course times are 8 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Cole Land Transportation Museum on 405 Perry Road Bangor, Maine

To apply go to www.colemuseum.org, click on the veterans program tab at the top of the page and download an application packet. Fill out the packet according to the application instructions and fax, email, or mail the completed packet back to the Cole Land Transportation Museum. The application deadline is April 2, 2018.

Lodging is provided free of charge at the House in the Woods Lodge in Lee, Maine to the veterans attending the guide course.

If you have any questions contact Jim Neville, Executive Director of the Cole Land Transportation Museum at: (207) 990-3600 x14, or by email at jneville@colemuseum.org. The fax number is (207) 262-9908.

May 21st 2018…It’s a Monday, Call in Sick, Take a Comp Day, Cut Class…Whatever it Takes!!!

In December, Dee House, Director of Administrative Services, House in the Woods, shared a write~up on Face Book pertaining to my newsletters. (You will find Dee’s words below the picture she posted of me in the autumn color ruins of an old mill.)

I do not share this to bring attention to myself. I am normally a very private person who generally stays in the background. But, I do want to take the time to thank Dee for such gracious words. Her appreciation means so much to me.

I am honored for her friendship and the fact she puts her trust in me to create a newsletter representing this fabulous lodge she and her steadfast husband, Paul House, worked endlessly to bring to fruition.

Their faith in our Lord and desire to honor their son Joel and all our young warriors who paid the ultimate price for our freedom…..this is what fuels their fire!

Deanna and Paul House

House in the Woods

I simply do the writing. I’m a Massachusetts born and bred gal who caught the fire from Dee and Paul.

My humble office where I hit the keyboard!

NONE of this would be possible without the correspondence and communications with the following: many of the HITW volunteers, some of the actual attendees of events, and those who have personally witnessed the change in their loved ones who have spent time at the lodge. That change comes from the love and support of those volunteers who hunt with these amazing vets, combat wounded and active military who serve our awesome country.

I receive amazing pictures and heart~warming testimonies from those who have been with Paul House on a hunting or fishing adventure and his band of fabulous guides who, themselves are veterans. They have served and truly know the mind of a veteran, young or old, their bond is everlasting.

The amazing crew of women who lovingly prepare the meals and give a sincere, warm hug to each person who walks through the door at the lodge. They have made certain each suite is ready and welcoming for the stay. Many pictures of the beautiful, comfy suites are available to view on the past newsletters published here.

House in the Woods Military & Family Retreat sincerely is an amazing place. Set in the wood of Maine, far from any distractions, offering the respite so many are seeking: just to sit and listen to nature, commune with others who know that… It takes a veteran to understand a veteran.

Young Marissa, one of my beautiful granddaughters and me, Brenda Everson~Shaw.

Dee House Shared:AMAZING JOB! Did you know that each month this year, Brenda Everson-Shaw published a newsletter about HITW? We couldn’t upload the document to Facebook, so she agreed to post each volume on her web blog. Brenda did an amazing job, keeping track of retreats, events, fundraisers, awards, speaking engagements, and more (she does a better job than myself sometimes keeping it all organized!). She spends hours interviewing our vets, researching interesting pieces to accompany our story, and writing the news. In case you missed anything, here is a link to the Table of Contents on her web blog. And even if you saw the newsletter the first time, it’s awesome to put them all together in the context of what happened at House in the Woods in 2017. Thank you from the bottom of all of our hearts, Brenda.

Dee continues: My mom Nancy Lothrop and I printed off a hard copy of each volume. It was over a 100 double sided pages. I felt like this was not only a monthly newsletter but is an historical document that will tell the story of HITW to the future. It’s such a great asset.

Note from Brenda: you can find the archive of newsletters here on my blog under the tab Military and then subtitle Newsletters.

FIRST TIME VISITING US? WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE LODGE?

Please follow the link below to see what House in the Woods has to offer for a retreat from the stress of everyday life.

HOUSE IN THE WOODS

When you connect to the above web link, I highly recommend that you first watch the video Welcome to Lee Maine on the About Us page which tells how House in the Woods was conceived.

House in the Woods is a nonprofit organization offering outdoor programs to bring together small groups of active military, veterans, and their family members to relax, share, bond, and deal with the stress, loss, grief, and other emotions which can haunt the grieving soul.

We offer canoeing, kayaking, hiking, hunting, fishing, nature tours, campfires, swimming, wildlife identification and spotting, and other natural Eastern Maine resource “treasures” God has given our beautiful state to enjoy. As participants face the outdoor challenges presented by Mother Nature herself, they will have the opportunity to share laughter, memories, sorrow, service, and pride, among many other common bonds.

Please contact us for any further information. We would love to have you stop by when you are in Maine. Also, if you have been wondering how you can help our Armed Forces and Veterans, please consider a financial donation to our nonprofit.

House in the Woods

217 Skunk Hill Rd, Lee, ME 04455

Tel: 207-738-4421 | Fax: 207-738-4420

Email

deanna.house@houseinthewoods.org