Yamaha supports disabled veterans

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., teamed with six other outdoor industry-leading manufacturers in 2007 to found a new non-profit organization named HAVA: Honored American Veterans Afield.  As part of its ongoing support, Yamaha is planning to promote and help raise funds for HAVA at its exhibit at the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) Annual Meeting in Phoenix this May 14-17.

“Yamaha is proud to support the veterans who benefit from HAVA’s mission and its activities,” says Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s ATV/Side-by-Side (SxS) group marketing manager. “As a founding member, Yamaha hopes to help HAVA through our direct contributions as well as fundraising efforts at shows like the NRA meeting.”

Through support from outdoor industry leaders, HAVA continues to grow and in turn support more disabled veterans. The other founding companies include: Smith & Wesson, Crimson Trace, Leupold, Surefire, Hornady and FMG Publications. HAVA was conceived of and organized by a founding committee of hunting and shooting sports industry executives from these companies. The organization aims to help the healing and re-integration of disabled U.S. combat veterans back into normal American life through participation in outdoor recreational events and activities.

“It has been very exciting to see such a meaningful grass roots effort rise from within the outdoor industry,” says Tom Taylor, HAVA chairman. “The founding companies were all highly committed to this cause and it has led to many other companies, organizations and individuals joining in to help HAVA touch more and more of these American heroes.”

According to its mission, HAVA aims to facilitate a series of hunting and shooting activities for disabled veterans – offering the veterans a sense of joy and accomplishment and a permanent awareness that these activities are still possible despite disabling injuries. For more information on HAVA, please visit HonoredVeterans.org.