Access Isn’t a Luxury — It’s the Whole Point

For many people, the outdoors is a weekend escape. For Disabled Outdoorsmen, it’s something far bigger: freedom, healing, purpose, and community.

Disabled Outdoorsmen exists to ensure that veterans and individuals with disabilities don’t just watch outdoor traditions continue — they actively participate in them. Hunting, fishing, camping, and time spent in nature aren’t fringe hobbies. They are deeply woven into identity, especially for those who once relied on physical capability, teamwork, and mission-driven environments.

When access disappears, something else often disappears with it: confidence.

Life Changes — Passion Doesn’t

An injury, illness, or service-connected disability can change how someone moves through the world, but it doesn’t erase who they are.

We’ve seen it time and time again:

• A veteran who thrived on structure and camaraderie suddenly navigating civilian life alone
• An outdoorsman who feels sidelined after a mobility change
• A hunter or angler unsure if they’ll ever participate again

The desire is still there. The skill is still there. What’s missing is opportunity — and that’s the gap Disabled Outdoorsmen was created to fill.

More Than a Trip — It’s a Reset

Adaptive outdoor experiences do something powerful. They:

• Restore confidence
• Rebuild trust in one’s body and abilities
• Create space for connection without pressure
• Offer mental relief that can’t be replicated indoors

This isn’t therapy with a clipboard. It’s healing that happens quietly — on the water, in the blind, around a campfire, or during a shared moment that reminds someone they still belong.

Community Over Limitations

At Disabled Outdoorsmen, the focus isn’t on what someone can’t do.

It’s on what can be done — with the right planning, adaptive equipment, volunteers, and a community that understands.

No pity. No spotlight. Just shared respect.

Participants aren’t treated as spectators or charity cases. They’re outdoorsmen — period.

Why This Work Matters

Isolation is one of the most overlooked challenges facing disabled veterans and individuals. Outdoor access directly combats that by providing:

• Purpose-driven experiences
• Peer connection
• Confidence-building challenges
• A reminder that independence looks different — not impossible

Every hunt, every fishing trip, every shared story strengthens that mission.

Designing a Website That Carries the Weight of the Mission

Redesigning the Disabled Outdoorsmen website wasn’t about making something look trendy or polished for the sake of appearances. It was about responsibility.

The previous site shared the basics of the organization, but it didn’t fully convey the emotional depth, mental healing, and life-changing impact that happens when someone regains access to the outdoors. The heart of the mission was there — it just needed space to breathe.

From the beginning, I knew the stories had to lead.

Letting the Stories Do the Heavy Lifting

As I worked through the redesign, I binge-watched and binge-read every testimonial provided. Every face. Every moment of grit, joy, frustration, pride, and freedom. These weren’t marketing assets — they were lived experiences.

That’s where the “Our Stories” section was born.

These aren’t just testimonials. They’re transformations.

Rather than presenting them as a static gallery or a list of bios, I wanted the experience to feel familiar, immersive, and emotionally compelling — the way people naturally consume stories today.

The inspiration came from an unexpected place: Netflix.

A Familiar, Addictive Experience — By Design

Each story was designed to flow like an episode in a series. One leads naturally to the next.

• Clean, distraction-free layouts
• Fully customized story templates
• Clear calls to action that never interrupt the emotion
• A structure that encourages visitors to keep scrolling, watching, and reading

The goal was simple but intentional: create an experience where someone might think, “I’ll just watch one,” and suddenly realize they’ve spent real time connecting with the mission.

More importantly, I wanted visitors — especially those living with disabilities — to see themselves in these stories and think, “That could be me.”

Built to Grow, Not Just Launch

Behind the scenes, the site was rebuilt with scalability in mind.

Using WordPress with custom post types, dynamic layouts, and reusable templates, Disabled Outdoorsmen now has a platform that can grow alongside their mission. New stories, events, and programs can be added without rebuilding the site every time.

The technical build supports the storytelling — not the other way around.

This project was also a true collaboration:

• Powerful written content from Shannon Hernandez, Shannon Communications Group
• Hosting and advanced development support from Ryan Waterbury, One Dog Solutions
• And a flexible, future-ready framework powered by Beaver Builder, Themer, Pods, and dynamic content

Design With Purpose

Every design decision came back to one question:

Does this honor the people this organization serves?

The answer had to be yes — every time.

The result is a website that doesn’t just explain what Disabled Outdoorsmen does. It shows it. It gives weight to the stories, credibility to the mission, and a welcoming invitation to anyone who thought the outdoors might no longer be for them.

Because access isn’t a luxury.

And stories like these deserve to be experienced — not skimmed.

Disabled Outdoorsmen exists to ensure that no veteran or individual with a disability is left behind when it comes to outdoor traditions, community, and purpose.