Those who have never seen a big man drop to his knees and “squall like a young’un when his child harvests a deer,” have not attended an Ultimate Adventure deer hunt sponsored by the Pike County Chapter of Outdoors Without Limits (OWL).

That’s the way Mike Swindall, chapter vice president, described the experience of being a part of what he calls “a life changing experience.”

“Being a part of the Pike County OWL Chapter’s Ultimate Adventure the past two years has been one of the most inspiring things I have ever experienced,” he said. “Anyone who is a part of an event like this can’t help but be changed by it.”

Swindall’s remarks were made at the July 28 meeting of the Pike County Chapter of OWL at Swindall’s Recreation Park.

The purpose of the meeting was to begin finalizing plans for the annual Awareness Banquet to be held Sept. 3 at Cattleman Park. The event is sponsored by the Pike County OWL chapter in an effort to bring awareness to OWL and the chapter’s Ultimate Adventure to be held in Pike County Jan. 14-17 and to provide an opportunity for land owners and guides to sign up for the deer hunt.

Outdoors Without Limits is a national organization dedicated to promoting awareness and teamwork between disabled and non-disabled individuals through education and outdoor recreational activities.

The Pike County OWL chapter has sponsored two deer hunts. The first, in 2007 was a local hunt.

The 2008 hunt was a national hunt and attracted 92 hunters from several states who hunted on land that belonged to 38 landowners in Pike and surrounding counties. “We had about 400 volunteers who did everything from transport and guide hunters to washing cookware from the nine meals that were each prepared for about 500 people. It takes a whole lot of people to pull off an Ultimate Adventure like we put on here in Pike County.”

The 2008 Pike County Ultimate Adventure was the biggest national deer hunting event held in the United States for those with handicaps.

“I don’t think many people around here even know the hunt went on,” Swindall said.

“And, probably even those who did know, didn’t realize what a big event it was, and we expect this year’s Ultimate Adventure deer hunt to be even bigger. That’s why we need the support of all Pike County, from individuals to clubs and churches.”

The Awareness Banquet will be an opportunity for those who are interested and want to pledge their support to the event to do so and for others to put out feelers to see if the OWL Ultimate Adventure is something they want to be a part of.

Tickets for the Awareness Banquet are $25 for individuals, $35 for couples and $10 for children. Businesses may purchase a table for eight for $250.

The ticket price includes membership in the OWL organization. The banquet will also feature silent and live auctions. The silent auction will open at 6 p.m., and the steak dinner will be served at 7 p.m.

“We want to invite everyone to attend the banquet and learn more about Outdoors Without Limits and what all our chapter does in support of physically challenged outdoorsmen, women and children,” said Terry McPherson, chapter president.

For more information contact Swindall at 566-8353, McPherson at 372-7334 or Greg Ricks at 566-5463.