When she talks about her recent trip to Estes Park, 16-year-old Courtlynn Havard’s voice brims with excitement.
“It was a great trip,” the high school junior said. “I got to meet great people and I got to go elk hunting, fly fishing and horseback riding in the mountains.”
The organization that gave her these extraordinary opportunities is Outfitters for Hope. The nonprofit provides hunting and fishing trips for youth under the age of 18 to bring hope and healing in the midst of physical and emotional trauma.
Outfitters for Hope
Courtlynn Havard loved going horseback riding in the mountains.
For Courtlynn, that trauma came in the form of a diagnosis of aplastic anemia a year ago. Aplastic anemia is a condition that occurs when your body stops producing enough new blood cells. Courtlynn needs a bone marrow transplant, but no match has been found yet.
Living in Winnsboro, Louisiana, with her parents and three sisters, Courtlynn has been hunting with her father since she was five years old. Her fondest wish was to hunt for elk.
Her father, Tyson Havard, heard about Outfitters for Hope on a podcast. He contacted the group. While the guides usually take children on once-in-a-lifetime hunting and fishing trip in Idaho, they are branching out in Colorado.
Outfitters for Hope
Outfitters for Hope provides hunting and fishing trips for youth under the age of 18 to bring hope and healing in the midst of physical and emotional trauma.
“The Havards were in Estes Park for six days in October,” explained Josh Lewis with Outfitters for Hope. “It went great and it was a successful hunt. This was an awesome opportunity for her to spend time in the mountain and the beauty of nature that God has to offer.”
Lewis explains that he volunteers for the two-year-old nonprofit because has has a passion for serving others.
“It’s part of my faith,” he explained. “I believe in Jesus and his teachings and that’s a huge part of our core. We consider it a ministry. I have a big heart for these kids who don’t have the best hand dealt to them. It gives them an escape from their current reality.”
Other organizations like the Make-A-Wish Foundation provide trips for children with life-threatening illnesses. Outfitters for Hope fills a gap by providing extraordinary adventures for outdoorsy people.
“We want to give a huge thank you to Wind River Ranch and MacGregor Ranch for their support during the Havard’s visit,” Lewis added. “For Courtlynn to experience the west was remarkable. She got to enjoy the mountains and hear the elk bugling.”
Tyson Havard said trips like the ones provided by Outfitters for Hope give families of sick children a break from reality.
“It allowed us to get away from the needle pokes and the hospital visits,” Courtlynn’s father commented. “It was something to look forward to. Mental health is a big factor in physical health.”
When Courtlynn went elk hunting, she experienced an intense respect the animals.
“It was amazing,” she said. “There are hundreds of elk in front of you, running. They are majestic animals and they are so huge.”
Courtlynn shot an elk and got to take home 100 pounds of meat to cook up for her family.
She said she enjoys hunting because, “it’s a great experience that you get and you know you are putting food on the table.”
Tyson said he is grateful to all of those in Estes Park who made him and his daughter feel welcome.
“What I didn’t expect was the people,” he noted. “All of the people we met were exceptional. We never felt out of place.”
For more information about Outfitters for Hope or to find out how to donate, log on to outfitters4hope.org.
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