USA Softball of North Dakota has been connected to the USA Patriots Amputee Softball Team in a variety ways since its inception - an active roster player (Grand Forks’ Chris Hutton), a board member (Bismarck’s Jack Jones), young amputees from Minot & Bismarck receiving invitations to participate in their annual Kids Camp, and numerous local exhibitions & tournaments. This continuously evolving relationship recently led to the organization presenting USA Softball of North Dakota with one of the first USA Patriots Partnership Awards.

Fargo played host to the USA Patriots for the first time in 2019, arranging an exhibition game in mid-June to help raise funds for the team’s two yearly camps - the aforementioned Kids Camp and an Alumni Camp for those who have participated in a previous Kids Camp. A couple of weeks later, the team was back in North Dakota as part of McQuades’ first Thursday night exhibition game in association with the Bismarck Larks baseball club. When all was said and done, approximately $70,000 had been raised for the camps as a result of the two visits.

USA Patriots Executive Director Desiree Ellison has high praise for our association: “North Dakota donates the most to our organization per capita which is an incredible feat. We are grateful that North Dakota not only has us back annually, but this year we made two stops in the state for events and had a fundraiser in a 3rd city (Minot) that raised enough for two kids to go to camp!”

Commissioner Dick Gulmon accepted the award at USA Softball’s Annual Council Meeting in Sparks NV. “The USA Patriots is an incredible organization made up of true American heroes. The work they do across the country and the impact they have on young people with their Kids Camps goes without saying. They are indeed difference makers,” says Gulmon. “It was an honor for USA Softball of North Dakota to receive the USA Patriots Partnership Award and hope the small part we played in their organization has also made a difference.  I would like to also offer special thanks to our own Jack Jones who does incredible work for the USA Patriots as a member of their Board of Directors. We are indeed so proud of Jack and thank him for his good work.”

Also earning one of the inaugural USA Patriots Partnership Awards was Andy Dooley and USA Softball of Piedmont VA. Commissioner Dooley was the driving force behind a remarkable seven-day, five-city tour earlier in the summer. In the year to come, he is organizing an event called “Guns & Hoses” - an 8-12 team two-day tournament that will pit the USA Patriots against local first responders.

Dooley’s connection to the USA Patriots was, effectively, destiny. The Vietnam veteran helped establish USA Softball’s Special Programs Committee and has been a big part of Virginia’s Special Olympics program for over two decades. ‘When I saw how these men who lost limbs had adapted, I was floored at the opportunity to help this team,’ says Dooley. ‘They are inspiring to young athletes and citizens, and the aged as well - reinforcing how life can go on despite such disabilities.’

The tour of Virginia in 2019 (and its predecessor in 2017) took the team through a number of locations that are a key part of what Dooley called the state’s “historic military presence”. ‘They traveled north to south, then east to west,’ he added, ‘and were very well received, including plenty of media coverage.’ It also opened the players up to other opportunities, such as visiting Boys & Girls Clubs, the Virginia ROTC, and a homeless shelter.

“Andy has hosted us for years and takes on a huge event for our benefit,” says Ellison. “Obviously, he is a very caring person and the compassion he has for youth sports and veterans is incredible. He is someone we know we can rely on to not only support us but to help bring others to the table to work with us on advancing our mission.”

We are proud to announce that the USA Patriots are scheduled to be back at McQuades in June - this time as returning champions. Last summer, the team claimed the Men’s Rec 4 title thanks to a 6-0 run in a 52-team field.

For more information about the USA Patriots Amputee Softball Team or to contribute to their Kids Camps directly, visit their web site at TheWWAST.org.