THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU ARE AND STILL DOING TO HELP VET'S.
GOD BLESS YOU MR.MIKE AND FAMILY.VET'S HOLD A BIG SPOT IN MY HEART.MY FATHER KENNETH HATFIELD WAS A KOREAN VET.

TWO WOLVES

ONE EVENING AN OLD CHEROKEE TOLD HIS GRANDSON ABOUT A BATTLE THAT GOES ON INSIDE ALL PEOPLE. HE SAID, 'MY SON THE BATTLE IS BETWEEN TWO 'WOLVES' INSIDE US ALL.

ONE IS EVIL. IT IS ANGER, ENVY, JEALOUSY, SORROW, REGRET, GREED, ARROGANCE, SELF-PITY, GUILT, RESENTMENT, INFERIORITY, LIES, FALSE PRIDE, SUPERIORITY, AND EGO.

'THE OTHER IS GOOD. IT IS JOY, PEACE, LOVE, HOPE, SERENITY, HUMILITY, KINDNESS, BENEVOLENCE, EMPATHY, GENEROSITY, TRUTH, COMPASSION AND FAITH.

THE GRANDSON THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE AND THEN ASKED HIS GRANDFATHER, WHICH WOLF WINS?

THE OLD CHEROKEE REPLIED, 'THE ONE YOU FEED.'

WHAT A WISE MAN.
GOD BLESS YOU . THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO.

TONIE

My name is Curtis Carie I served with Will in Panama at Ft. Kobbe, I retired after 23 years of service in 99. So I have known him and his beautiful bride Galia for close to 30 years, technically. We lost contact after I left Panama and recently Will found me. I am currently the Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Program Coordinator for Midwest Health Care System. Our teams serve our newest heroes in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North and South Dakota. The sacrifice that Will and Galia and their family have endured from the loss of a son is enormous. Of no surprise is that they have taken their own loss and are turning it into a positive. Camp Hope is inspirational, I look forward in coming and helping as I can but to also take Will up on his offer and refer some our heroes to Camp Hope and get back out in the field. Thank you Will and Galia and all that have made this respite for our deserving veterans.

MY NAME IS KATHY JOHANNING AND I LIVE IN CALIFORNIA. MILE WHITE IS MY COUSIN AND HE COMES HERE TO VISIT SOMETIME. HE NEVER STOPS TALKING ABOUT CAMP HOPE. HE TRIED TO PAINT A PICTURE TO ME ABOUT THIS PLACE BUT HE MUST HAVE RAN OUT OF PAINT BECAUSE I DID NOT GET THE FULL PICTURE.
I WENT BACK TO ST LOUIS IN 2008 FOR MY 55TH CLASS REUNION. MY NEPHEW, JEFF PARSON, TOOK ME TO THE "FARM". I CANNOT DESCRIBE TO YOU WHAT I FELT LIKE WHEN WE STARTED DOWN THE LANE UP TO THIS PLACE.
I FELT SUCH PEACE AND COMFORT. MY HAIR STOOD UP ON MY ARM. WHEN WE ARRIVED IN FRONT OF THE PLACE, I COULD NOT KEEP THE TEARS FROM MY EYES. I THOUGHT WHAT A WONDERFUL PLACE/MINISTRY THIS YOUNG MAN IS BUILDING HERE IN HONOR OF HIS PRECIOUS SON CHRISTOPHER AND OTHER MEN WHO HAVE FALLEN IN THIS USELESS/ENDLESS BATTLE IN IRAQ. THE ONES THAT WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO SURVIVE, ARE ABLE TO COME HERE AND TRY TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES AND COPE WITH THEIR DISABILITIES, DEPRESSIONS AND TORN HEARTS AND BODIES.
I AM SO PROUD OF MIKE AND HIS FAMILY AND THEIR DESIRE TO DEVOTE THE REST OF THEIR LIVES TO HELPING OUR WOUNDED MILITARY MEN TO LIVE A HAPPY PRODUCTIVE NORMAL LIFE AND TO ACCEPT THEIR HANDYCAPS IN A POSITIVE WAY. TO KNOW THEY ARE LOVED AND ARE NOT EVER TO BE FORGOTTEN.
THANK YOU MIKE FOR YOUR LOVE,HARD WORK, RESPECT AND DEDICATIOIN YOU HAVE TOWARD THESE GOOD MEN. MAY GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU ALWAYS.

LOVE YOU MIKE,

YOUR CUZ, KATHLYN

I attended the Amvets National Convention in Washington DC this past wknd where Chris's dad received the Silver Helmet Award for his dedication and accomplishments with Camp Hope. I am forever inspired by your humbling work to help other veterans and pledge to do whatever I can to get the word out about Camp Hope. May God Bless you always!

Great mission you are involved with, I look forward to a visit in April

Thank you so much for visiting us at our quilt guild today. The Brunswick Quilters were so pleased to hear you speak with us and you were a true inspiration. I don't think there was a dry eye after you spoke to us. I want to personally express my condolences to you and your family on the loss of your beloved son and brother. It is difficult to put into words the emotions I felt hearing you speak about Camp Hope. In my heart I know that Chris is guiding all of you and that what you are doing is so needed to those coming home to uncertainy. There are so many that return to different worlds than they left because of what they had to endure that none of us will ever be able to comprehend and for you and all your volunteers to give them a place to heal and reconnect with their own spirits is amazing.
God Bless your family and God Bless all the volunteers that do so much to aid you in this endeavor. Most importantly God Bless those serving and those returning home, for making it possible for us to lay our heads down at night in peace.

Mike,

It was such an honor speaking with you yesterday! We look forward to working with Camp Hope and the Camp Hope Ride as a National AMVETS Riders program. We are so excited about your mission and will do whatever we can to help you to achieve your mission. We owe such a debt of gratitude to all of the men and women that have and are serving in uniform. I look forward to meeting you and Frank soon!

Still Serving Our Troops & Veterans,

Bruce "Bruiser" McElhaney
2nd Vice President
National AMVETS Riders
VictoryRidnVet@aol.com
865-604-1066

Will,
Thank you for the great weekend! It was our honor to attend. We will always remember Christopher.You and your family are very important to us as well!! We are looking forward to next year. Thank you again!

Semper Fi,
Jeffery

I have really enjoyed looking at your site! What a great way to remember Chris and how much he loved life. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to know him and grow up together. Camp Hope will bless the lives of many in honor of Chris.

Jessica (Jackson) Hockman

Javelins Platoon,

I want to thank all of you for visiting Camp Hope. It was a honor having you, Sometimes I wonder if the statement We shall not forget is true. Well all of you showed me it is a true statement. I know in my heart why all of you were so important to Christopher. And I want you to know you are just as important to us as well. I cannot wait till we can do it again next year. Keep in touch and each and everyone of you are in our thoughts.

Thank You,

Will

Will,
The platoon is looking forward to coming down this weekend to join in the AMVET fund raiser. It will be great to see you again. Thank you very much for having us; as this means a lot to us to come visit. Take care and see you on Thursday night!
Semper Fi,
Jeffery Fishel

Hello friends!

Hi
I'm a VETERAN

Uncle Willy!!! It's Sarah (Painter) This website is awesome. My sorority (Delta Phi Epsilon) is going to try and raise some money for Camp Hope =D. I am going to try and spread the word about Camp Hope in my ROTC program as well as around my campus community. I hope everything is going well. Tell Tia Galia and Mike I said hello. <3

Thank you mike for the info and what you are doing! I really enjoyed riding with you guys in Va.. we had a blast!I will be in touch.

Will, Thank you and Jerry so much for your tour and hospitality when Linda and I visited Chris Neal Farm yesterday. Your vision is clear, and everyone we met shared your passion to bring this vision to reality. The enthusiasm of everyone was so wonderful, and it is my hope that in some small way I can help you achieve your goal of building a place where disabled veterans can enjoy the outdoors. The farm is beautiful and would give peace and fulfillment to anyone who visited there. My son thought Chris was a great friend and Marine, and I can clearly see where his values came from. I am looking forward to watching your vision of Camp Hope become everything you dreamed it would be.
Donna Cole