Keith Lyman’s departure from professional wakeboarding and enlistment into the U.S. Army has been well documented in our sport. His sacrifice has not only inspired fans all over, but companies that used to sponsor him as a professional athlete, as well. One of those companies is Axis Wake Research, which this year released the Recon Edition of their A-22 wakeboard boat. The Recon Edition features a military inspired graphics and interior package that look awesome, but the biggest impact comes in a way you don’t see. For each Recon Edition boat sold, Axis will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Jared Allen Homes for Wounded Warriors Project. Established by pro football player Jared Allen, the Homes for Wounded Warriors Project is, according to its website, a “non-profit organization created for the sole purpose of raising money to build or modify the homes of America’s injured Military Veterans. H4WW helps to build or modify homes so they are handicap accessible and comfortable for our wounded vets.”
Back in October, with Lyman stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC, Axis and their local dealer ProMarine in Durham, wanted to give Keith and some of his fellow troops the opportunity to have a little fun out on the water. With a couple Recon Edition boats, some seriously good Carolina BBQ, cornhole, and more, the guys at Axis set up a great day for the troops to have a great time at a nearby lake. Unfortunately Mother Nature didn’t want to cooperate. Rain and clouds managed to dampen the environment, but no the moods of everybody in attendance. For Keith it was a chance to get out behind the boat again and get back to his wakeboarding roots – much to the surprise of the other troops who came with him, as most had little to no idea of his professional wakeboarding background. For the handful of other troops who braved the weather on their day off, it was a chance to learn to ride and get lessons from Keith, as well as to just kick back and have some fun – usually by laughing at each other and cheering after some solid falls.
More than anything the day was a great way for Axis and others in the industry to say thanks to the troops for their service and sacrifice, as well as to bring more awareness to the Homes for Wounded Warriors foundation. For a little video recap of the day, go here. To get more info on any of the organizations involved in the event, check out the links below.

www.axiswake.com
www.promarineboats.com
www.jaredallen69inc.com