Dr. Maria

Many of you don’t know this, but when I was first elected to the House 12 years ago, I specifically requested to serve on the Fish and Game Committee. I’ve served on that committee for my entire 12 years and six terms. One thing I noticed right away in my first term was how little we were able to do for our veterans when it came to hunting and fishing. Our Fish and Game Department is largely self-funded through license sales. New Hampshire has one of the highest per-capita veteran populations in the nation, so offering free or discounted licenses to all veterans would quickly bankrupt the department. That’s why, 10 years ago at the start of my second term, I started a charity to step in and fill the gap: the New Hampshire Veteran Sportsman Foundation (nhvsf.com). At the New Hampshire Veteran Sportsman Foundation we believe “the cost of a license should never stand between a hero and a hunt.” Sometimes getting outdoors to hunt or fish is the best kind of therapy there is. We don’t discriminate based on discharge status. The only qualifications are simple: 1. You write to us and state your need. 2. You prove you’re a veteran (usually with a DD-214). 3. You prove you’re a New Hampshire resident — we only serve NH resident veterans. We’ve been providing free hunting and fishing licenses to veterans in need ever since. If you want more information, wish to donate, or know a New Hampshire veteran who could use our help, please visit nhvsf.com. I’m meeting today with someone who runs a suicide-prevention charity. We’re going to talk about collaborating on a golf tournament fundraiser next year. More to come on that.