Welcome to Thumbtack Ranch, a special place located in south Texas and the home of Trinity Oaks, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This incredible spot away from the hustle of cities and fast-paced life was founded on the premise that active participation in the outdoors is a powerful, healing and fundamentally life-changing experience.
On July 4, Cargill kicked off the 7th annual Bucks for the Brave contest under its Record Rack brand. Through Sept. 11, we will be accepting nominations for heroes to win this hunt of a lifetime. Eight winners will be selected — one veteran each from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and three retired first responders (Law Enforcement, Firefighters, EMTs) will be flown to San Antonio over Veterans Day weekend (Nov. 9-13).
You can participate in several ways, such as submitting the story of a hero you know, honoring the heroes by reading the nominations that have been submitted, or share among your network to encourage them to do the same.
Your nominee cannot be an immediate family member, however, friends and extended family are eligible to win. What can they win? An all-expense paid, once-in-a-lifetime hunting experience. We call it an experience for reason! There is so much more to the weekend than just hunting. Our heroes get to see the wide-open Texas range, witness the well-managed and pristine ranch and encounter countless beautiful and healthy game animals living their best lives on Record Rack feed. Winners get to shoot clays, 3-D archery, fish and also enjoy activities in the incredible lodge like experiencing a Texan Saturday full of football and a barbecue with smiling friends. Heroes will spend evenings with TV celebrities, professional rodeo athletes, NASCAR drivers, musicians and the caring volunteers focused on giving these individuals the thank you they deserve.
Edward Arndt, Senior Risk Analyst in Cargill’s GEOS BU, had his first experience participating in the 2021 event. He said, “As a Cargill employee and veteran, I experienced Bucks for the Brave last fall as a volunteer for the first time. I hauled trash, stocked water coolers and anything else I could do to make the heroes selected feel special. Along the way, I made new lifelong friends. I have been an avid hunter my whole life and felt right at home. Instantly, I felt at peace with my own struggles while on the ranch among other veterans, whose service spanned from the Korean conflict to present day. No matter the age, we sat together connected through our experiences and would watch the incredible game animals feed on Record Rack Golden Nuggets. The animals would watch us watch them, while we all watched the incredible Texas sunset. I have pursued whitetails in Minnesota my whole life and consider myself lucky when I get a glimpse of the elusive monster when stalking the northern woods. When down on the ranch, I was in awe at the amount of healthy monsters moving in herds. It made me proud to work for Cargill, knowing we play a large role in sustaining healthy animals, enabling nourishment of those in their times of need to help create a place for healing amongst our heroes.”
Spending time in the outdoors, amongst other men and women who have served helps provide a safe space to relax and let their guard down. This hunting experience helps fill a gap they’ve been missing — the camaraderie they once had on a daily basis while serving. The group arrives in San Antonio as hesitant strangers, yet five short days later, they go home as lifetime friends with a newfound sense of peace.
Jodi Dallman Cornelison, founder and member of VMSN, brings to life the reason behind this campaign.
“When I started this seven years ago, I truly had no idea the sheer number of people that would be impacted by Bucks for the Brave,” she said. “The amount of support from other brands in our industry who want to be a part of it is incredible. I’ve had firsthand experience dealing with a family member going through the lost sense of camaraderie and night terrors. These heroes have endured horrific things that most of us could never fathom, nor want to. We have been told, on more than one occasion, they were planning this hunting trip to be their last. Instead of pursuing the awful thoughts of suicide in their heads, they went home and checked into rehabilitation. They are now thriving and paying it forward by helping other heroes like themselves.”
With more than 20 million people in this country having served in the military or as a first responder, it’s likely you know someone that is deserving of this once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you have a friend, family member or someone in your community you would like to recognize and honor, we strongly encourage you to nominate them. It’s easy and only takes a few minutes but could impact and change their life forever.
https://www.recordrack.com/bucks-for-the-brave
