Final Redneck Triathlon Goes Out with a BANG
After 13 years, Jon Bonnell, Ric Bonnell and Dan Roberts have hung up their flame-throwers – hosting the last of what was truly a one-of-a-kind event that has supported hundreds of Veterans and military families coast to coast over the years.
On Saturday, May 31 – the last day of Military Appreciation Month – patriots gathered in Aledo, Texas, to spend a morning enjoying the great outdoors and some unconventional entertainment. This year’s events included everything from catfish noodling pools, a bowling ball cannon, clay shooting, target golf, paintball mini-tanks and other shenanigans that are just too crazy to mention.
The event was originally inspired by a conversation Jon and Ric had with well-known U.S. Navy SEAL Veteran Chris Kyle. Chris’s family joined us to celebrate the impact that the event has had on the Veteran community.
His wife, Taya, shared, “We were laughing in our kitchen about what a real “redneck” event would entail. We laughed at a station for “shooting the sh*t,” which would be skeet shooting, but maybe instead of clays, people shoot rolls of toilet paper. We envisioned a station where folks would grab a BB gun and shoot empty cans on a fence. That conversation was in early 2013. Chris was killed soon after. Boot Campaign and this group of patriotic and philanthropic men have followed Chris’s ideas yearly.”
Following a morning of shooting, fishing and more, the attendees headed back to the tent for a hearty Texas BBQ lunch from Bonnell’s while listening to U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Marcus Burleson. He shared about his experiences serving in the military, his long, 27-month hospitalization following an IED explosion and how Boot Campaign was one of the only Veteran service organizations he has trusted in the many years following. It was a fun-filled, inspiring day indeed!
To learn about future events in your area, visit bootcampaign.org/events.
