Hero Haven comes to Custer

From Sept. 29 to Oct. 6, a group of heroes enjoyed the beauty of the Black Hills and the camaraderie of fellow heroes who have walked in their shoes.
It was then that a group of firefighters, EMTs, police officers and veterans from across the country gathered at a home belonging Wayne Weber, a rural Custer resident who donated the use of the home to Hero Haven, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established by fellow service members as a way to give back to people who serve and protect the country in a real and genuine way.
“Our gift to those who have served is all things outdoors, filled with adrenaline, topped with adventure and proudly given as a token of appreciation to the men and women who wore a uniform – our front line heroes,” the Hero Haven mission sate reads on its website, hero-haven.org.
While here, the group did four days of UTV riding, saw some sights, grilled, shopped and dined in Custer.
The welcome gathering had attendees from Custer, including Custer American Legion Post 46 commander Glen Talley and post member Jim Welch, who presented each attendee with Custer Cash cards on behalf of the Custer Area Chamber of Commerce and American Legion Post 46. Also attending was local WWII veteran Albert St. Germaine. 
Welch said he felt the event was quite whorthwhile, saying the veterans and first responders opened up about their personal experiences, which included PTSD in some cases.
There were six heroes, as they are referred to be the Hero Haven organizer, and their wives.
“It was amazing,” said Ned Hodgson, a Hero Haven board member.
Hero Haven is based out of Brandon, and board members are volunteers. The trips provided by Hero Haven are absolutely free for the hero and their plus one, including flights, meals, lodging, etc. Trips have taken place all over the country, including duck hunting in Devils Lake, N.D., ice fishing in Platte, trout fishing in Estes Park, Colo., deep sea fishing in Florida and even a hog hunt in Texas. All of the trips are planned around outdoor activity. The board members plan the trips.
In the works for 2027 is a trip to South Africa for a safari.
Hero Haven is something Hodgson is passionate about, as he is a veteran with 25 years of service—including two combat tours in the War on Terror—a volunteer firefighter and was a police officer for eight years.
Hodgson said when he came back from Afghanistan in 2018, he, like a lot of veterans, was having trouble reintegrating into society and was having “dark times.”
A fellow veteran he deployed with was a board member of Hero Haven, and invited Hodgson on a fishing trip.
“It couldn’t have been more timely,” he said. “From there on, I was hooked. We can put a smile on a face of a veteran or family members, get away and decompress, rejuvenate per se. It helped me out so I’ve been paying it forward for the last six years.”
Hero Haven has been around for eight years, and as it has grown, has added board member positions.
So how did the home of Wayne and Dee Weber become involved?
Hodgson met Wayne Weber last winter in Arizona at a vacation rental. As they were chatting, they began to talk about Hero Haven, and Wayne told Hodgson he had a home he wanted to donate for the project. Wayne said his father is a veteran, as well as his brother.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Wayne said. “They served our country like my father and brother. I’m just patriotic, I guess. It’s the right thing to do to take care of the people who take care of us.”
Hero Haven, a 501(c)3, exists because of donations and fundraising. Recent fundraisers include a UTV poker run, silent auction, raffle, and golf outing. Board members and ambassadors also travel to local American Legions, VFWs and businesses who are “hero friendly” to solicit donations.
Anyone interested in donating can also visit hero-haven.org You can even donate to a specific trip. The website is also where those interested in going on a trip sign up. As people apply, board members go down the list and match people to trips.
Included in the recent trips is a girls week out, where all women got together to horseback ride and hike in Livingston, Mont., and another where an all-female guest list enjoyed glamping, zip lining and hiking in Gatlinburg, Tenn.
Hodgson encourages all who have ever put on a uniform, or who continue to put on a uniform, to sign up for a trip.
“We always find a way to fund trips,” he said. “We beg, steal and borrow to get everyone an adventure. We want them to know if they need someone to go with them—grandson, son, daughter, spouse—they come absolutely free as well,” he said. “We encourage them to go to the website and sign up and we will work on putting it together.”