Meet Paul House

We were lucky to catch up with Paul House recently and have shared our conversation below.

Paul, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

God called me to do this work in memory of my son who loved to hunt and fish in the great outdoors of Maine and help his brothers and sisters in arms. Below you’ll find some verbiage from our website that describes in more depth what we do here at House in the Woods Military & Family Retreat.

House in the Woods was founded by Paul and Dee House after their son, Sgt. Joel A. House, was killed by a roadside bomb while serving in the Army in Iraq. Their vision for House in the Woods began shortly after attending the military memorial service at Fort Hood, TX for Joel and 19 other soldiers from his army base who died the same month as their son. It was both emotionally overwhelming and comforting to be around so many families who were experiencing the same grief and loss. They dreamed of creating a program using Maine’s outdoor resources that would help military families support one another.
Paul is a life-long Maine woodsman and Maine Master Guide. Dee is a former Navy “brat” who grew up in military housing and schools during the Vietnam War era.

​ House in the Woods is a nonprofit organization offering outdoor programs to bring together small groups of active military, veterans, and their family members to relax, share, bond, and deal with the stress, loss, grief, and other emotions which can haunt the grieving soul.

We offer canoeing, kayaking, hiking, hunting, fishing, nature tours, campfires, swimming, wildlife identification and spotting, and other natural Eastern Maine resource “treasures” God has given our beautiful state to enjoy. As participants face the outdoor challenges presented by Mother Nature herself, they will have the opportunity to share laughter, memories, sorrow, service, and pride, among many other common bonds.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Thank you for having me on the podcast. It’s always an honor to share the mission behind House in the Woods.

At House in the Woods, we provide free outdoor retreats for servicemembers and their families, offering them a place to heal, connect, and find camaraderie in the great outdoors. Our retreats include hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreational activities that help veterans rediscover the sense of brotherhood and purpose they often miss after service. What makes this work truly special is seeing the transformation—watching veterans who come to us struggling with isolation leave with renewed friendships, laughter, and a sense of belonging.

Some of the exciting things we’re working on right now are the 21 retreats planned for 2025 as well as community activities, and fundraising efforts to ensure we can continue offering these retreats at no cost. We have several upcoming events, including our Veteran Ice fishing retreat, rabbit retreat, turkey and fishing retreat for the winter and spring. Summer will bring more fishing and recreational opportunities. Christmas in July which will include our Free Music on the Green and Festival of Trees fundraiser. Monthly we host a FREE COFFEE WITH VETERANS the 3rd Wednesday of each month 7-11 a.m. for Free coffee, baked goods and great connection. The full list of events can be found at our website houseinthewoods.org

Beyond events, we’re always looking for new ways to connect with new Veterans, supporters and grow our impact.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, three qualities have been most impactful in my journey with House in the Woods: resilience, the ability to connect with people, and a deep respect for service and sacrifice.

First, FAITH. When God called me to do this, it’s my mission in life. Healing through the outdoors is my mission. I knew right when God called me that this was going to be my personal goal. I didn’t know the details but I had FAITH that God was going to show me what I needed to do to make it happen. I had no doubt.

Second, PERSISTENT. Sticking to the mission and what you’re going to do. Don’t waiver from your mission and the direction you know you’re suppose to go. Don’t let others sway you or talk you out of what you know is your real calling.

Third would be CONNECTION. Making a personal connection with each individual whether it’s the attending Veteran or supporters. Through that personal connection it shows that you really care for each individual and not just the group as a whole. You can relate to people better when you take the time to sit and talk to people, sharing not only our mission but what’s important in their life as well.

For anyone just starting their journey, remember: Make sure you weigh everything out before you go ahead with it. Have your business plan together so you have taken into consideration the work and sacrifices that are going to be necessary on a personal level. This is your mission and alot of time, then it becomes part of you the more you do it. It becomes part of who you are and why God called you to do it. Remember that you won’t know how to do everything but you’ll learn along the way. Always be searching for ways to improve what you do. Don’t stop taking advice. Take the good advice and ignore the bad advice. Sometimes there’s obstacles that you will have to overcome. Don’t get discouraged, just move forward. “I pray, read my bible, put my boots on and go to work.” It sounds simple, don’t try to complicate it.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

The biggest challenge we’re facing right now is building our endowment to $10 million to ensure House in the Woods can continue providing free outdoor retreats for veterans for generations to come.

Sustainable funding is crucial for any nonprofit, but especially for one like ours that serves those who have sacrificed so much. Right now, we operate year to year, relying on fundraising events, sponsorships, and generous donors to keep our programs running. While that support is incredible, an endowment would provide long-term stability, allowing us to focus on expanding our impact rather than constantly chasing funding.

To overcome this challenge we’re brainstorming a plan to introduce our program to major donors and corporate sponsorships, offering them the opportunity to be part of something truly meaningful and enduring. Additionally, we’re developing new fundraising initiatives and planned giving programs to encourage long-term contributions.

We know this won’t happen overnight, but we believe in the power of our mission and the strength of our community. With the right support and lots of prayers we believe we can ensure that veterans and their families always have a place to heal, reconnect, and find the camaraderie they need.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Angie Gade – House in the Woods

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