This past weekend I was asked to take a special needs young man fishing through the Outdoor Legacy Foundation. His name was Lancelot. Lance is what he told me to call him. Lance is a fine young man that is eat up with dairy cows, peacocks and animals in general. I met Lance on the lake around midday, and we had lunch together with my buddies Alex McClendon, Jon Parrish, Chad Wammock and Darcy Flynn. Alex had asked Darcy, Chad and me to help out and take Lance and his friend James Meeks, another young man from Milledgeville who was hunting and fishing with OLF last weekend. 

OLF is a group of outdoorsmen that decided they needed to give back and wanted to help others who may have challenges enjoy the outdoors. So they take special needs children, young people and veterans hunting and fishing. Whether it’s a young person who is wheelchair-bound or a veteran, they take them outside. Outside is where we heal and bond with others so well. Outside is a healing force so powerful that it will change your life forever. OLF helps people from all over and from all walks of life. We all simply share one thing in common — we love hunting and fishing. 

The young James Meeks scored on a beautiful turkey Saturday morning (make sure to check out the picture!) and then spent the afternoon on the lake with Lake Oconee Striper Club’s Vice President (lovingly known as MVP) Darcy Flynn and our runaway angler of the year this year Chad Wammock. Lance and his mother, Ms. Renee, got to fish with Jon Parrish and me. James’ brothers got to fish with Alex McClendon (more about our family connection in a later column). All of us caught a couple of fish, and boy did we work hard for it Saturday afternoon. Between conversations about dairy cows, peacocks and how big great whites could get, Lance managed to catch a nice 3.5-pound hybrid off a downline with me. I’ll say, without a doubt, that was the biggest smile ever seen on my boat. 

Now at some point someone is going to say stuff like how fortunate they are to get to go, how blessed we are to not have such challenges, and many other things. But let me tell you the truth about it all. I was just honored to be with James and Lance. I was humbled, not because of the obstacles they had overcome, but because of the love they poured on each one of us. To love like they do, to enjoy life like they do, to be present and here with their families and friends are all things we should aspire to. They are examples strength, love and faith. From the very first moment I met Lance, he treated me like his best friend and was very interested in my life, my family and my animals. I wish I could be that way.

Now here’s the hook. OLF needs your support. So please take just a minute and go to www.theoutdoorlegacy.com and find out how you can support this very worthy group. Drop Jon an email or reach out to me and I’ll help you connect. Meanwhile, if you see James Meeks or his dad, Kevin, around give him a high five and tell him congratulations on such a fine bird!

Tight lines!

—Outdoors columnist James Pressley can be reached at pressleyoutdoors@gmail.com .