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US manufacturer St Croix Rod has donated almost $40,000 to two veteran advocacy groups following sales of its Premier series American-made fishing rods.

It was on Veteran’s Day last year that the Park Falls, Wisconsin-based firm decided to support two key organisations – Wounded Warriors in Action and Take A Vet Fishing and began badging up its rods with the relevant logos.

St Croix vice-president of marketing, Jesse Simpkins, explained: “Thanks to the anglers who purchased these rods, St Croix is pleased to present cheques for over $19,000 to each of these not-for-profit organisations which work actively, creatively, and tirelessly to provide long-term healing to our nation’s Veterans suffering from both physical and emotional wounds.

“Our entire team at St. Croix is proud to be a long-term partner with both Take a Vet Fishing and Wounded Warriors in Action, and we are grateful to our anglers for stepping up and buying some great fishing rods made even greater by their ability to positively impact the critical work of these two organizations which help so many.”

Take a Vet Fishing and Operation Healing Heroes co-founder, Jay Garstecki, commented: “St Croix Rod has supported Take a Vet Fishing and our US Veterans from the very onset of our organisation in 2014.

“[It] has not just partnered with us to help support Take a Vet Fishing financially, the company has worked to actively grow our membership, reach, and awareness of our mission in a variety of ways – from their communications, to opening their doors to our veterans for factory tours and giving each of them their own special rod, to donating proceeds from the sale of their limited-edition Premier Veteran’s rods.

“This donation will make a dramatic difference by helping us directly pay for actual PTSD treatments for our veterans and their family members. I can’t tell you how much our organisation appreciates the long-term, unbroke, and unwavering support of St. Croix Rod.”

Wounded Warriors in Action founder and CEO, John McDaniel, recalled meeting St Croix Rod Coc-owner, Paul Schluter, some 17 years ago at a Ruffed Grouse Society banquet.

He said: “We had a nice dinner and conversation. I grew up on a lake in Oshkosh, joined the army and travelled and fished around the world. I had been a loyal St Croix angler my entire life but I had never been to the St Croix factory.

“I went the very next morning, bought three saltwater rods at the factory store, met again with Paul and asked him to sign each one of them. I still use that particular rod I kept for myself and I’ve never let anyone else touch it!

“The relationship grew from that. The event we host annually in Eagle River is huge and St. Croix has been donating rods to help support that event and our organisation for the past 10 years or so.

“I always appreciated its support but I was blown away when they told us they were going to build and sell these custom Premier rods and use the money to directly support Wounded Warriors in Action.”

stcroixrods.com