Locke, Cayuga County (WSYR-TV) - Tucked into a quiet little section of southern Cayuga County is a unique lodge that allows visitors to take advantage of the outdoors. Instead of being regular tourists, the people who stay at the
Liberty Lodge are wounded war veterans.
The Lodge's 1,000 acre property stretches nearly as far as the eye can see, and consists of farm fields and woods. It is a long way from the battlefields of Iraq or Afghanistan.
"There's no worries here, no one is judged, combat, sometimes the memories and scars cut deeper than a knife," said Liberty Lodge founder Kevin Workman.
Workman started the lodge in the Town of Locke in 2008, after he returned from a tour in Iraq a changed man. He felt unable to return to the police force in South Carolina.
The lodge he founded consists of four bedrooms able to accommodate wounded veterans, complete with hunting gear, ammunition and weapons. Liberty Lodge takes care of the license fees and even plane fare if necessary.
Veterans from all the different branches of the military have made the trip. Workman invites people he's never met before and offers them the chance to hunt, fish, or just enjoy nature worry free.
"It's grown already, we'll need more walls," said Workman
"Ever since we talked on the phone the brotherhood was apparent," said wounded veteran Leif Lange.
Lange came to the Liberty Lodge from Florida. The Iraq war veteran has a bad elbow, suffered a traumatic brain injury, and is missing part of his skull due to brain cancer. During his visit to the Lodge, he says he is looking forward to some peace, quiet, and spotting some game in the fields. "That'd be a bonus, really it's the fellowship, it's the healing environment that everybody knows what everybody is going through, there's no ego, it's just a really healing environment," he said.
"The way I measure success, if I can put one happy memory in one combat serviceman or woman, my missions complete," said Workman.
Workman basically funds the Liberty Lodge on his own. He says he hopes the idea spreads, and it appears it already has. One of his former guests is trying to start a similar kind of program.
