PLATTE, S.D. (AP) - What started as a way to remember the late Terry Severson has since grown to help veterans across South Dakota.
The third annual Terry Severson Memorial Fishing Tournament took place last week at the Platte Creek Recreation Area to both honor his memory, and also raise money for area veterans, The Daily Republic (https://bit.ly/2rXYovX ) reported.
Severson was a member of the 153rd Engineer Battalion, serving in the Iraq War from February 2004 to January 2005. He served in the Army National Guard for 19 years up until his death in March 2014.
Severson, who suffered from undiagnosed post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), killed himself, according to LeRoy Severson, Terry’s brother and founder of the memorial fishing tournament.
Lake Francis Case on the Missouri River, south of Platte, was Terry’s favorite place to fish, his brother said, and a fishing tournament seemed like the best way to honor him and help others who might be facing the same struggles.
“One of the things Terry was about was helping people …” LeRoy said. “I thought this was kind of a way to reach out to them and say, ’Hey if you need to talk, let’s talk.’ Let’s not let this happen to anybody else.”
The tournament, which began June 2015, started out as a way for the family and military buddies to get together and share stories, LeRoy said. But it has since grown. This year 40 teams entered, nearly doubling from the first and second year.
In the past, the money raised from the tournament has been donated to area groups including the American Legion Post 115, Legion Baseball team in Platte, Platte Ministerial Association and Youth Group and the 155th Engineer Company stationed out of Wagner and Rapid City.
But this year, LeRoy decided to do something a little bit different. Instead of donating to a local organization, he created a goal: to build an ATV cart for the Paralyzed Veterans of America’s annual pheasant hunt in Platte.
The cart allows paralyzed veterans to ride along during hunts. The Platte pheasant hunt already has one cart, but due to the high amount of paralyzed veterans interested in tagging along, LeRoy decided it’d be worth it to build another.
“It’s like you’re walking with the group when you’re not mobile,” LeRoy said.
Any leftover funds will go to other local organizations, he said, including setting aside funds for veterans suffering from PTSD.
And the community support always amazes the Severson family.
“The local businesses have been way supportive of this, and a lot because they knew Terry and a lot because we’re a tight-knit area,” LeRoy said.
Not only is it fun for the Seversons, it’s also a great way for old friends and military buddies to get together and fish. And for Greg Nielsen it was a great day of fishing.
Nielsen, along with his partner Andy Ronfeldt, took second place, narrowly missing first in the total weight division. But it wasn’t about the prizes.
“The prizes and cash is all great, but being here to support the veterans and the organization for the third annual Terry Severson Memorial Fishing Tournament is the main thing,” Nielsen said.
Nielsen served alongside Terry in the Army National Guard since 1997. He, along with Ronfeldt, also know the family well, coaching several of Severson’s nephews in wrestling.
Nielsen said there were troops from the 155th at the tournament as well, attending on behalf of the National Guard.
“We all miss Terry, and glad that his family can put this tournament on in his remembrance,” Nielsen said.
Tony Herting, Rob Johnson and Austin Herting, of Canton, won the tournament with 15.9 pounds.
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Information from: The Daily Republic, https://www.mitchellrepublic.com
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