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GunFest to benefit Camp Freedom

The GunFest was held at Roll Call in Scranton Saturday afternoon.

SCRANTON, Pa. — It was a full-house inside Roll Call in Scranton, a firearms store that offers guns for sale, an indoor shooting range, and gun training.

"[Roll Call] Offers training classes from the very basic beginner all the way up to advanced as well as more community-based training classes such as stop the bleed, active shooter training, and a wide range of classes," explained Dean Klipple, Roll Call.

And it's playing host to the second annual GunFest to benefit Camp Freedom in Carbondale.

"It's just a great night to honor true American heroes and raise funds for the work that we do for our disabled veterans, disabled first responders, goldstar families, and all of their family members," said Matt Guedes, Camp Freedom Executive Director.

"So it's really it's community building. We want people to come meet the people from camp freedom, learn more about what they're doing. While having a good time with a gun raffle," said Klipple.

More than 70 firearms were raffled off along with baskets and a silent auction, all to benefit the camp's programs. 

Over the last year, the executive director tells Newswatch 16 2,100 clients have come to the camp for support.

"We do outdoor adventures for disabled vets, first responders, gold star families, and their family members, and those outdoor activities include everything from hiking, biking, walking, fishing, shooting, cross country skiing, and biking, anything you could think of that can be done outdoors. We do that and it's all part of the healing process. We combined camaraderie. We combine peer-to-peer interaction with an outdoor adventure and we watch live saved over and over again," said Guedes.

Kyle Jones says one of those lives was his; he volunteered and worked at Camp Freedom and now works at Roll Call.

"You know I was able to heal in my process. I was a United States Navy Veteran. I have PTSD, depression. I had a battle with opioids and alcohol and suicide. And when I got to the camp that really saved my life. Turned me around. I was able to help other members who were also struggling with what I was going through," said Jones.

To learn more about Camp Freedom, head to their website by clicking here.

Check out WNEP’s YouTube page.   

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