Waupaca Foundry Employee Collects Deer Hides to Benefit Veterans

At times all it takes is determination and one person to change the world and that's just what Waupaca Foundry employee Dave Hintz is doing—one deer hide at a time.

Dave Hintz (second from the right) presents $10,000 to Matt Tennessen (far left) for Wounded Warriors in Action on behalf of Hides for Heroes. Also holding the check are (middle left to right) Teacher, Sandra Dykes and students, Katie and Kyle Loehrke, Weyauwega-Fremont High School who help with the local effort to raise funds for the organization. To date, $24,000 has been donated.

Dave started the partnership called Hides 4 Heroes to support veterans through the Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation. During the Wisconsin bow and gun deer seasons, Hintz sets up hide collection locations throughout the Northeastern, Central and Northern Wisconsin region. He volunteers his time to collect and cure the hides, then sells them to a broker. The funds raised are donated to Camp Hackett near Phillips, Wisconsin where veterans participate in outdoor sporting activities designed to help heal mental and physical wounds from active duty.

Hintz will be collecting deer hides through January 2018 and hides may be dropped off at these participating locations:

Waupaca-King

Waupaca Foundry, 406 N. Division St., Waupaca
Waupaca Foundry, 1955 Brunner Drive, Waupaca
JR's Sportsman's Bar & Grill, Waupaca
Waupaca Truck Stop, Waupaca
Chain BP, King

Weyauwega-Fremont

The Cenex, Weyauwega
Sun Set BP, Weyauwega
Here-N-There, Metz
Goode's Inn, West Bloomfield
Jorgie's, Borth
Hunters Sports Bar, Readfield

Iola-Scandinavia

JR's Sports Shop, Iola
Depo Street Station, Iola
Scandy "C" Store, Scandinavia

Manawa-Ogdensburg

Sand Burr Corners, Ogdensburg
Manawa Steak House, Manawa

Clintonville

Shell Gas, Clintonville
Citgo Northside Plaza, Clintonville
Clintonville High School, Clintonville

Wild Rose

Cenex/CHS Larsen Cooperative, Wild Rose

Oshkosh-Fond du Lac

Tuffy's Outpost, Fond du Lac
Fishtales, Oshkosh
Homan Ford, Ripon
Holliday Food & Sport, Ripon
Countryside Bar, Saint Cloud

Neuville Motors of Wauapca has donated a pickup truck to Hides For Heroes to be used for hide collection. Photo supplied by Dave Hintz.

Since 2012, he has donated $24,000 through his Hides 4 Heroes project thanks to a partnership with Waupaca Foundry and regional hunters. In 2015, Hintz collected 780 deer hides from harvests throughout Wisconsin and this year, he hopes to break records.

Hintz contacted his employer, Waupaca Foundry, to help with the project. The foundry donates collection boxes and the nearly 2,000 pounds of salt Hintz uses to cure the hides each season. Hintz has worked at Waupaca Foundry for 28 years and said the company's support is gratifying.

Hides collected during deer hunting season. Photo supplied by Dave Hintz.

Waupaca Foundry has a history of supporting veteran's causes and in 2015 and 2016 was awarded the Patriot Award for employer support of the National Guard or Reserve. About 10% of the foundry's workforce are veterans and many of the skills learned on active duty directly apply on the job, according to Joey Leonard, executive vice president of human resources.

"Veterans put direct experience in leadership, responsibility, teamwork and many other attributes to work for us daily and we are honored to support causes that support veterans," he said.