On September 30th - October 2nd, 2005, International Paper’s Hamilton Ridge Hunt Club hosted 4 special youngsters from the Outdoor Dream Foundation for 2 days of hunting and outdoor activities. Hamilton Ridge is a 50 year-old hunt club that consists of 14,000 acres of forest and swampland along the Savannah River near Garnett, SC.

The hunt was organized by members of the SCI Low Country Chapter in Charleston, SC.  Mark Peterson and Clint Lemon are both SCI Chapter Members as well as Hamilton Ridge Hunt Club Members.  Judge Ernest Gilbert, another SCI Member from St. Simons, GA, also participated in the hunt.

The Outdoor Dream Foundation is a non-profit foundation headquartered in Anderson, SC. The Foundation was established in March of 2004 by Brad Jones after Brad discovered that the "Make A Wish" foundation had stopped granting hunting wishes to their young participants. The criteria for participation in the Outdoor Dream Foundation is simply that the applicant be 21 years of age or younger, and suffering with a medically confirmed life-threatening disease or injury.

Brad and his unpaid volunteers are currently working with over 30 young people to make their outdoor dreams a reality. Ex-Miami Dolphin great, Larry Csonka donates his time to the Foundation to assist in their fundraising activities and takes several youngsters each year with him as he films his "Csonka Outdoors" TV program for ESPN. Outfitter and private landowners from around North America donate hunts to the Foundation and Cabelas equips the kids with outdoor gear and clothing free of charge.

The young hunters with accompanying family members arrived at Hamilton Ridge on Friday from locations across South Carolina and Georgia. The youngsters’ excitement and enthusiasm was clearly evident as they unpacked their hunting gear and explored the century-old plantation home that is now the clubhouse. The Officers and Members of the hunt club had prepared a full schedule of activities for the young hunters, including rifle shooting, crossbow shooting, clay target shooting, jeep rides through the swamp and deer and wild hog hunting.

Volunteers handled all the cooking and delighted the participants with dishes such as mule deer Italian sausage spaghetti and venison burgers. Home-baked cakes and layered jello cups were available for those who saved room for dessert.

In the evening we gathered in the rustic, heart-pine living room under the indifferent gaze of 30 year-old deer heads to watch African safari hunting videos. The kids were fascinated with the variety of African animals and no doubt fell asleep afterwards to dream of one day visiting the Dark Continent themselves to stalk wildebeest and cape buffalo.

Before dawn, the young hunters were served cereal and milk to tide them over until the grand bacon, sausage, egg, biscuit, pancake and grits breakfast that would be served after the morning hunt. By daylight they and their companions were on hunting stands, eagerly anticipating the appearance of a wild hog or deer.

Unfortunately the weather was unseasonably warm all weekend and an abundant, freshly fallen acorn crop carpeted the forest floor. With plenty to eat during the cooler nighttime hours, the deer and hogs were not moving in the daylight. One young hunter had a difficult shot at a deer, but missed. Despite the lack of big-game, the youngsters enjoyed observing wildlife from their stands as a variety of birds, raccoons, armadillos, possums and turkeys provided continuous entertainment.

As the weekend concluded, everyone agreed that it had been a great success and should become an annual event. Children dealt a tough hand in life were able to temporarily put their health issues aside and have fun in the outdoors with new friends.

Contact Brad Jones at 864-260-9786 or outdoordreams@charter.net if you would like to make a contribution, or become an Outdoor Dream Foundation volunteer.