I’ve enjoyed Bowsite for its Hunt Recaps, information and humor.
My family, my kids in particular, have also benefited from my visiting the site.
I don’t want to embarrass anyone or put them on the spot, so I won’t name names without their permission. I’ve personally expressed my gratitude, but wanted to let others know what kind of guys post on this site.
One member, who’s son knaps stone arrowheads sent one to my kids who were starting their archery journey. It is still a prized possession on display.
Another has gone out of his way to send my kids some cool bracelets and connected us to some friends of his who sent out some actual stone Indian arrowhead, some pottery shards and some incredible necklaces made from pottery shards. My kids refer to him as an “Uncle”.
Another sent a beautiful pair of binoculars that had been his wife’s to my kids.
I never win anything, but I won a Worksharp Tool from an impromptu raffle created by a Bowsiter.
I have had multiple offers to bring my family out to visit, fish and hunt. I hope to be able to do that sooner rather than later.
Just last week, I was on my way up North to my buddy’s place in Northwestern WI. We were in his truck, on our way. Another friend was with us. They had been ice fishing three weeks earlier and in the -42* cold on the day of their departure, his car would not cooperate. The car was left up North and we were going to retrieve it, deliver some racks to one of my wife’s relatives and tend to some other projects.
During the drive, I became aware of a deteriorating family situation. My father’s widow had multiple family photo albums, the last remaining large photo of my father’s family farm and some personal effects that had to be retrieved “immediately” before they were “jettisoned”.
My sister tried to find a shipping company, but it was worse than exorbitant and required too much lead time.
I had multiple phone conversations with my sisters, wife and children. It was very difficult listening to their shock, pain and frustration, finding out that my mother’s rings had been sold. None of them would have the sentimental connection of that modest jewelry and all of the family photo albums were at risk of loss too.
I was 420 miles Northwest of Chicago and the problem was in PA.
Out of desperation, I posted a couple of threads on Bowsite, in the PA State Forum and the Big Game Forum, looking for someone local that might be able to help.
I made a point to let people know that I was not looking for anything for free, that I would compensate them for their time and though this was an odd situation, it was not a scam.
I figured that it was a real long shot.
I had something like six Bowsiters offer their help. None wanted to be compensated for their time. Not even the Bowsiter who offered to drive an hour and a half each way to get it done.
One Bowsiter ended up living only a few miles away. He scooped everything up, packed it better than a professional and shipped it from work in less than twenty four hours.
I was on the phone with him, the pain in the voices of my wife, children and sisters echoing in my head and I had a hard time speaking. I was choking up. Here was a tenuous connection, a relative stranger who was going out of his way, displaying much greater kindness and decency to me and my family than my own “family”.
Wow!
He received the check for the shipping costs today and a token of my appreciation arrived on Monday.
As with the other Bowsiters mentioned earlier, I’ve tried to make sure that nothing is one-sided...
But I am acutely aware that The scales are not balanced. My family and I have benefited more from the generosity, information, hunt recaps, pictures and entertainment than I’ve given.
Thank you. Thank you all.
I love you guys in a purely Platonic, heterosexual, non-contact kind of way.
I’m absolutely sincere about what you guys have done for my family and I. I’m kind of emotionally stunted though. So, I’m going to put a dip in, grab a beer and might have to make some smart azz posts for a while.
I’ve been offered so many things. Given so many things I can’t count. By bowsite’ers. There is no place like it and most of its people.
I've made a lot of friends on this website and continue to.
There are thousands of great people on Bowsite and two douchebags :) (Kidding)
orionsbro, you're one of the good guys on here and I hope all is well with you and yours. Glad to hear things worked out.
Prolly the best enjoyment I get from the bowsite is helping and sharing with others over the many years.
Good luck, Robb
Very nice post Rick and thanks for sharing it with us. There are still a lot of good folks in this world.
That’s a pic of a book that I sent to Nick quite a while back. It’s one of my favorites in the original language.
Why some translated French Philosophy?
Forget Cliff’s Notes. I’ll give you “Rick’s Notes” and be uncharacteristically concise and paraphrase the theme or moral for a hunting crowd.
>>You can put whatever you wish into your backpack. You just have to be willing to carry it... Every choice has a price. Choose wisely.<<
The community here (with a couple of exceptions) is the best community online. This story is amazing and not at all surprising- and that makes me very proud.
Pat Lefemine's Link
DJ
I was having a conversation with a good friend about the odd, tenuous connections that kicked off friendships that matter. Crossing paths on a football field or a rugby pitch, having a cop run into you on a mountain bike... insignificant encounters that have lead to the strongest friendships that I have.
I would have never envisioned that I would think as highly about or value the opinions of guys that I’ve only encountered on the internet, on the phone and through emails.
Especially since I tend to shake my head at most comments posted by people on other parts of the internet. (And a few here)
I was having a conversation with a good friend about the odd, tenuous connections that kicked off friendships that matter. Crossing paths on a football field or a rugby pitch, having a cop run into you on a mountain bike... insignificant encounters that have lead to the strongest friendships that I have.
I would have never envisioned that I would think as highly about or value the opinions of guys that I’ve only encountered on the internet, on the phone and through emails.
Especially since I tend to shake my head at most comments posted by people on other parts of the internet. (And a few here)