BACK TO ALASKA AND BACKING OUR HEROES DISABLED VETERANS SAVOR LAST FRONTIER SALMON FISHING BY CHRIS COCOLES
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laska is becoming something of a second home for Randy Houston, but the fishing trips he’s taken to the Ketchikan area mean so much more. Houston’s Alaska experiences have been a chance to sit back and watch some of his heroes catch the fish and, more importantly, find a sense of purpose and peace in their lives. Such a cycle never gets old for the 72-year-old Houston, whose Californiabased Purple Heart Anglers last year continued a tradition of raising money to send disabled veterans on fishing and hunting adventures. In October, Houston and his charity hosted several wounded warriors who served in various combat tours in American wars on a memorable salmon fishing trip to Ketchikan. “This was our eighth trip and we had 12 total this year,” Houston said
A dozen visitors – led by veterans who were wounded in combat – headed to Ketchikan in October. San Francisco-area-based Randy Houston (inset) arranged an eighth trip there with his Purple Heart Anglers organization that gets our veterans outdoors. (PURPLE HEART ANGLERS)
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2022
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
51
