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Pasco County veterans nonprofit raises money for new boat

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HUDSON, Fla. — Helping active-duty military, veterans, and first responders with their PTSD symptoms is why Lines of Liberty started.  


What You Need To Know

  • Lines of Liberty is a nonprofit that takes veterans, active-duty military, and first responders on fishing trips
  • The organization is raising money to purchase a pontoon boat
  • With the new boat, those in wheelchairs and with other mobility issues will have an easier time going on their fishing trips


The nonprofit takes groups out in boats to fish and relax.

“We call it saltwater therapy,” Lines of Liberty co-founder and treasurer Michael Stevens said. “I just found myself really kind of exhaling every time I was out here. I never really connected the dots that it was giving me some peace and quiet.” 

However, because of the size of the boats they’ve been using, Stevens said they’ve had to turn people away. 

Some of the people they welcome on board are in wheelchairs or have other mobility issues. 

Most of the boats they have access to don’t have enough room to move around easily.  

“We only had two guys that had boats that were capable of handling that,” Stevens said. “But they’re full-time charter captains. Rough to get them consistently.”

That’s why they’re raising money to buy a pontoon boat.

By raffling off tickets for a full ADA bathroom that can be constructed in your home, Stevens is hopeful they’ll be able to reach their fundraising goal by the end of the month. 

With half of the $30,000 needed already raised, he said their goal is in reach. 

“We just want to make sure that anybody who’s ever raised their right hand and served,” Stevens said. “Whether it’s fighting fires, being a police officer, being in our military, has that same equal opportunity.” 

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Matt Lackritz

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