Henry Donation Raises Over $40,000 for Indiana Girl’s Cancer Treatments

RICE LAKE, WI, Mar. 15, 2022

Henry is pleased to announce that its donation of 55 custom rifles raised a total of $40,660 for 4-year-old Milah Schevenius of Decatur, Indiana. The funds will provide financial assistance for the medical expenses incurred throughout Milah’s kidney cancer treatments, including several surgeries and 42 weeks of chemo and radiation. Milah was diagnosed with bilateral Wilms’ Tumor, a rare occurrence affecting only 6% of Wilms’ tumor patients.

The “Miss Milah’s Miracle” campaign is the latest fundraising effort of Henry’s Guns For Great Causes program, a charitable branch of the company that focuses on providing support for sick children, children’s hospitals, military veterans organizations, and other non-profit groups. Each rifle in the limited-edition series features a colorful, childlike design unique to Milah’s personality engraved and hand-painted on the walnut buttstocks. All of the rifles sold out within 3 hours of the initial release announcement. In addition, the online auctions for the first and last serial numbers in the limited series ended at $5,850 and $4,600, respectively.

“I am in shock; this is just still so surreal,” said Keyara Schevenius, Milah’s mother, after learning how fast the rifles sold out. “I would never have imagined how big this would get when we first heard about what Henry was doing for Milah…our little girl is so loved!”

Anthony Imperato, Founder and CEO of Henry Repeating Arms, says, “We are so grateful to everyone that chooses to support Guns For Great Causes, from those who purchase a rifle to partners like Baron Engraving that donate their time and services.” Imperato continues, “To Milah and her family, I wish you continued strength and blessings on the road to remission. Sending you a big hug!”

Four-year-old Milah Schevenius (middle) with her family. Image courtesy of Cowbell Photography by Macy Baker.

RICE LAKE, WI, Feb. 24, 2022

Henry is donating a custom series of 55 “Miss Milah’s Miracle” edition rifles to raise funds for four-year-old Milah Schevenius of Decatur, Indiana. Milah was diagnosed with bilateral Wilms’ tumor at just 3-year-old, a rare occurrence affecting less than 10% of all children’s kidney cancer cases. All proceeds of the fundraising campaign will be presented to the Schevenius family to assist with the associated healthcare costs of Milah’s treatments.

In 2021, Milah underwent surgery to remove the affected kidneys, leaving her with less than half of her right kidney and no left kidney. A follow-up surgery was performed in December 2021, after a legion was found on her remaining partial kidney. Additionally, Milah is going through 42 weeks of chemo with radiation treatments at a children’s hospital in Indiana. She loves to color, play with her dolls, have tea parties, and spend time with her sisters. Milah wants to be a doctor when she grows up so that she can help kids going through what she is experiencing.

“Never judge a book by its cover, because this little girl is tough,” says Ryan Knapp, Milah’s grandfather. He continues, “She has been through more than anyone should in less than 4 years of life but does it with a smile and she does not quit.”

Anthony Imperato, CEO and Founder of Henry Repeating Arms says, “To go through what Milah and her family are going through in the middle of a worldwide pandemic is almost incomprehensible.” Imperato continues, “Milah’s courage is nothing short of inspirational, and I hope these rifles or the money raised gives her a reason to gift her family with a smile and a big hug.” Last year, Henry Repeating Arms raised over $75,000 for the families of two sick children with all rifles selling out within hours.

The Henry “Miss Milah’s Miracle” .22 S/L/LR lever action rifle features genuine American walnut stocks with a colorful hand painted motif that incorporates elements of Milah’s personality. A doctor’s stethoscope, referring to Milah’s adulthood ambitions, forms a heart shape and becomes intertwined with a bright orange ribbon that represents kidney cancer. Two crayons symbolize Milah’s love of coloring and the labels bearing the words “Faith” and “Family” serve as tributes to what helps the Schevenius family through their journey. The rifles are fitted with a brushed silver receiver cover and barrel band, a 17” blued steel octagon barrel, adjustable sights, and a large loop lever. Baron Engraving of Trumbull, Connecticut donated the artwork, engraving, and hand painting on each buttstock.

To learn more about the Miss Milah’s Miracle fundraising campaign or purchase one of the limited-edition rifles, visit henryusa.com/missmilah. The auction for the first serial number in the series, “MISSMILAH01” is available on Gunbroker.com, item #925202160. The last rifle in the series, “MISSMILAH55” is also available at auction, item #925202458. Both online auctions close on March 9.

RICE LAKE, WI, Nov. 5, 2021

Henry is pleased to announce that a donation of 65 custom “Support 4 Sami” rifles raised a total of $46,700, all of which will benefit the family of 11-year-old Sami Bernadzikowski of Elkridge, Md. The money provides relief for the medical expenses incurred throughout Sami’s treatments for multiple congenital heart defects, including five open-heart surgeries and over thirty catheterization procedures.

6th grader Sami Bernadzikowski of Elkridge, Maryland is the latest recipient of Henry Repeating Arms’ Guns For Great Causes program, which raised a total of $46,700 for her family’s medical expenses. Photo courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/support4samantha/.

The “Support 4 Sami” Golden Boy Silver lever-action rifles are a continuation of Henry Repeating Arms’ Guns For Great Causes program, a charitable arm of the company that focuses on raising funds through firearms donations for individual sick children, children’s hospitals, active-duty military and veterans organizations, wildlife and habitat conservation efforts, and supporting other Henry partners. The program has raised over $250,000 for six families over the past two years.

Anthony Imperato, CEO and Founder of Henry Repeating Arms, says, “Time and time again, the Henry family steps up to the plate and knocks it out of the park with their unending generosity to help us with these Guns For Great Causes initiatives.” Imperato continues, “To those of you who purchased one of these rifles or offered your support in some other way, I thank you for giving Sami another reason to show off that big smile.”

The rifles, priced at $650 each, sold out in less than 24 hours after the initial announcement of their availability. The first and last serial numbers went to an online auction block, and the hammer fell at $2,725 and $3,025, respectively.

RICE LAKE, WI, Oct. 21, 2021

Henry is donating a series of 65 custom rifles to raise funds for the family of 11-year-old Sami Bernadzikowski of Elkridge, Maryland, who is battling multiple congenital heart defects (CHD). All proceeds from the fundraising campaign, which are expected to surpass $45,000, will be presented to the Bernadzikowski family.

Since she was born, Sami has undergone five open-heart surgeries with at least one more to come later and over thirty cardiac catheterization procedures. On top of a rare condition called heterotaxy syndrome, where organs are formed abnormally, in the wrong place, or missing altogether, Sami is diagnosed with several CHDs, including single ventricle, pulmonary atresia, pulmonary vein stenosis, transposition of the great vessels, and atrial septal defect. In addition, the 6th grader’s treatments require a visit to Boston several times throughout the year, adding to the overall cost of her medical expenses.

“She has been poked, prodded, and cut by doctors her whole life,” says James McVay, a family friend that brought Sami’s case to the attention of Henry Repeating Arms. “Her normal life is what anyone else would call torture, and she takes it in stride with the rarest complaint.”

“I have yet to see a photo of Sami where she didn’t have a huge smile on her face, which is incredible once you learn what she’s going through,” says Anthony Imperato, CEO, and Founder of Henry Repeating Arms. He continues, “I would like to give a big hug to Sami and her family, and I look forward to seeing how fast these rifles sell out thanks to the generosity of the Henry family.”

Over the last two years, Henry’s Guns For Great Causes campaigns have raised over $200,000 for five families, and all of the rifles sold out within a matter of hours after the initial announcements.

The “Support 4 Sami” edition rifles feature an engraved and hand-painted design that incorporates Sami’s whimsical, curious, and adventurous spirit within each letter of her name. Built on Henry’s Golden Boy Silver platform, the rifles are chambered in .22 S/L/LR and feature a nickel-plated receiver cover, genuine American walnut stocks, and a deeply blued steel octagon barrel. Each rifle in the series bears a unique serial number ranging from “01OF65SAMI” through “65OF65SAMI.” Baron Engraving of Trumbull, Connecticut, donated the artwork and embellishments on the buttstocks.

To learn more about this latest Guns For Great Causes campaign or make a purchase, visit henryusa.com/support4sami. The auction for serial number “01OF65SAMI” is available on gunbroker.com, item #913742436. The last rifle in the series, “65OF65SAMI,” is also up for auction, item #913742797. Both auctions close on Nov. 4.

Lee Greenwood during his encore performance of “God Bless The U.S.A.” Photo credit: Josh Adams

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (October 12, 2021)

Spectators in the sold-out Von Braun Center crowd were not the only ones in for a treat at Tuesday night’s All-Star Tribute to Lee Greenwood concert. After an introduction from celebrity chef Paula Deen and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, Henry Repeating Arms took the stage to present three combat veterans with engraved Military Service Tribute Edition rifles.

Andy Wickstrom, President of Henry Repeating Arms, said, “On behalf of this company and our more than 550 employees, we want to thank you for your courage, and we want to thank your families for the sacrifices that they made for you to answer the call of duty.”

Three Huntsville military veterans and Lee Greenwood were presented with Henry rifles. Photo credit: Josh Adams

Master Sergeant Ken Knight, retired after 23 years in the Army, served 16 years with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, nicknamed the Night Stalkers due to their propensity for attack and recon missions usually conducted at night, at high speeds, low altitudes, and on short notice. Staff Sergeant Michael Price served for 14 years with the Marine Corps, including two tours in Fallujah, three years as a mountain warfare instructor, and a Purple Heart award for injuries sustained to his chest and arm from a gunshot wound received by a sharpshooter. Now a father of four, Gunnery Sergeant Brad Wallace served for 12 years with the Marines and deployed five times, including three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

As the crowd rose to their feet for the veterans now holding their rifles, Wickstrom called Lee Greenwood to the stage.

“Before we get back to the music, I want to get Mr. Lee Greenwood out here to thank him for his undying patriotism,” said Wickstrom. He continues, “We are proud to present Lee with the finest rifle money can buy, a New Original Henry Silver Deluxe Engraved.”

The award-winning singer and songwriter best known for his patriotic single “God Bless the U.S.A.” celebrated 40 years of hits with a packed lineup of country music notables like Crystal Gayle, The Oak Ridge Boys, Big & Rich, and many more. The show is to become a television special.

RICE LAKE, WI – June 25, 2021

Kalel Hamilton of Leesburg, TX, was diagnosed at age 5 with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and is seeking an experimental gene therapy treatment that could potentially save his life. (Photo Courtesy of Rick Hamilton)

Henry raised a total of $30,000 with a ‘Guns For Great Causes’ campaign to benefit 8-year-old Kalel Hamilton of Leesburg, Texas. Kalel was diagnosed at the age of 5 with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a rare and terminal genetic muscle-wasting disease with no known cure. Henry created and donated a total of 50 custom engraved “Flex For Kalel” Edition Golden Boy rifles, which sold out within a matter of hours.

The Hamilton family is working with a 501(c)(3) organization to put together a customized gene therapy treatment for Kalel with the hopes of fighting back against the disease or ultimately finding a cure. To begin production, the family needed to raise $25,000, which prompted a response from Henry Repeating Arms to assist.

“We like to think that Kalel has a lot of toughness to draw from between mountain living, the gritty streets of New York, and 5 Marines in the family. Not to mention that he is named after Superman,” says Rick Hamilton, Kalel’s father. Rick is originally from Ahwahnee, California, located in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and his wife Nancy is originally from Queens, New York. Both are veterans of the United States Marine Corps and recently moved to Texas to make the doctor visits more convenient. Rick continues, “It was crazy watching how fast the rifles sold out, and we can’t thank Henry Repeating Arms and their audience enough for all of the support they have given us as complete strangers.”

“We have been running ‘Guns For Great Causes’ for well over a decade, and it is now an integral part of our company’s DNA. We are blessed to be able to give back by doing what we do best, which is building rifles,” says Anthony Imperato, President and Owner of Henry Repeating Arms. “With the entire Henry family in his corner, Kalel now has a huge cheering squad that will be there for him throughout his entire fight.”

The Henry “Flex For Kalel” Edition Golden Boy rifles featured engraving work and handpainted accents donated by Baron Engraving of Turnbull, CT. Serial no. 1 sold at auction for $1,525.

On February 23, 1945, Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal captured one of the most iconic images in US military history as six Marines hoisted the American flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima. In October 2019, Harold “Pie” Keller of Brooklyn, Iowa, was identified as one of these Marines, 74 years after Rosenthal took the photograph. With his story almost lost to history, Keller’s hometown is now cementing his legacy with a monument funded in part by American firearms manufacturer Henry Repeating Arms and Iowa-based firearms parts and accessories supplier, Brownells, Inc.

Henry Repeating Arms created a limited-edition series of 100 Golden Boy “Pie Keller Memorial” Edition .22 rifles to raise funds for the Brooklyn Community Foundation’s mission of erecting a memorial in Pie’s hometown of Brooklyn, IA.

The Brooklyn Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, is spearheading the memorial construction efforts with $17,000 left to raise to pay for the monument. To assist the foundation, Henry Repeating Arms created a limited-edition series of 100 Golden Boy Pie Keller Memorial Edition rifles (Model #H004PKM). In celebration of Flag Day, the rifles will be available for sale through Brownells’ retail store in Grinnell, IA, and online at Brownells.com starting on Monday, June 14, until supplies last. Henry Repeating Arms is donating $50 for each gun sold and all the proceeds from an online auction for the first rifle in the series. Bidding for serial no. 1 begins on Flag Day as well at Gunbroker.com, item #902646486.

“We sincerely appreciate Henry Repeating Arms, Brownells, and Crow Shooting Supply for stepping up to the plate and providing so much assistance to make this monument a reality,” said Rusty Clayton of the Brooklyn Community Foundation. “This is going to solidify Pie’s name and legacy in our town forever, and we could not have done it without the contributions that will come out of these incredible rifles.”

Henry Repeating Arms created a limited-edition series of 100 Golden Boy “Pie Keller Memorial” Edition .22 rifles to raise funds for the Brooklyn Community Foundation’s mission of erecting a memorial in Pie’s hometown of Brooklyn, IA.

The Pie Keller Memorial rifle features a custom engraved genuine American walnut buttstock depicting a triumphant Keller at the summit of Mount Suribachi, rifle in hand, with his fellow Marines in the background lifting the American flag as seen in Rosenthal’s famous image. The date, “February 23, 1945,” is etched above the design and a flowing scroll banner below contains Keller’s name. Built on Henry’s Golden Boy platform, the .22-caliber rifle also features a Brasslite receiver cover, barrel band, and buttplate with a 20” blued steel octagon barrel. The H004PKM has an MSRP of $744.

“The fact that “Pie” was misidentified for over 76 years is a testament to the man’s humility,” said Anthony Imperato, President, and Owner of Henry Repeating Arms. “He never came forward as one of the flag-raisers, not even to his kids, and I look forward to visiting the memorial to pay my respects to this incredible man in person.”

“We are honored to recognize a true hometown hero who made history by raising the American flag on the island of Iwo Jima more than 75 years ago,” said Pete Brownell, Chairman of Brownells.  “The image of the flag-raising has become a symbol of valor and unity in the United States. It’s fitting to have “Pie” Keller’s heroics memorialized on another American icon, the Henry rifle, as it benefits a new memorial to Brooklyn, Iowa’s hometown hero.”

Cpl. Harold “Pie” Keller, right, shakes hands with Sgt. Howard Snyder (KIA), left, as they stand on the rim of Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima between the first and second flag raisings on February 23rd, 1945 (Official Army photo, courtesy of Pfc. George Burns, George Burns Collection, U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center).

RICE LAKE, WI – June 8, 2021

American firearms manufacturer Henry Repeating Arms is donating a series of 50 custom Golden Boy lever action rifles to raise funds for the family of 8-year-old Kalel Hamilton who is battling Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare and terminal genetic disease with no known cure. All of the proceeds raised from the “Flex For Kalel” edition rifles will benefit the non-profit organization Cure Rare Disease on the Hamilton family’s behalf so that Kalel becomes eligible for a custom gene therapy treatment.

Kalel Hamilton, 8-years-old, is diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and is seeking an experimental gene therapy treatment that could potentially save his life. (Photo Courtesy of Rick Hamilton)

Last year, Henry Repeating Arms raised more than $175,000 for the families of four sick children, and the “Flex For Kalel” campaign will raise over $25,000 to secure Kalel’s spot in line for the experimental treatment that could potentially save his life and others diagnosed with DMD.

Rick Hamilton, Kalel’s father and U.S. military veteran says, “We are thankful for generous individuals and businesses such as Henry Repeating Arms.” Hamilton continues, “Without them we would not have the ability to help advance science, save our son, and hopefully save others like him.”

The “Flex For Kalel” edition rifles feature a superhero motif as a symbol of Kalel’s endurance and a nod to his name, which is inspired by Kal-El, the birth name of Clark Kent, AKA Superman. Built on Henry’s award-winning Golden Boy platform, the rifles are chambered in .22 S/L/LR and feature a Brasslite receiver cover, blued steel octagon barrel, and genuine American walnut furniture with laser engraving and hand painted accents that include a green muscular dystrophy awareness ribbon. The embellishment work for every rifle is a donation from Baron Engraving of Trumbull, Connecticut. Each rifle in the series is marked with a unique serial number ranging from “FLEXFORKAL01” through “FLEXFORKAL50.”

Henry Repeating Arms is donating a limited-edition run of 50 custom “Flex For Kalel” engraved rifles to raise funds for 8-year-old Kalel Hamilton of California.

Anthony Imperato, President and Owner of Henry Repeating Arms says, “For the first time in Guns For Great Causes history, we have the opportunity to assist a family with getting a potentially breakthrough treatment for a disease with no known cure.” Imperato continues, “This could make a huge impact not just for Kalel and his family but thousands of others in a similar situation, and I will be cheering him on along with the rest of the Henry family.”

To learn more about the “Flex For Kalel” Edition or to make a purchase, visit henryusa.com/flexforkal. The auction for serial number “FLEXFORKAL01” is available on Gunbroker.com, item # 902423919. The last rifle in the series, “FLEXFORKAL50,” is also listed on Gunbroker.com, item #902425008. Both auctions end on June 22, 2021.

A Henry Guns For Great Causes Benefit

3-year-old Preslie Mantsch of Iron River, MI was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in April 2020.

Henry has donated a series of 65 custom rifles that raised a total of $47,040 to benefit the family of 3-year-old Preslie Mantsch from Iron River, Michigan. Preslie was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in April of this year and still has two years of treatment left. All proceeds from the sales and auctions of the rifles are being presented to the Mantsch family to assist with the medical expenses associated with childhood leukemia.

The “Prayers For Preslie” Edition Golden Boy Silver rifles were created under Henry Repeating Arms’ Guns For Great Causes banner, a charitable branch of the company that focuses on raising money through firearm donations for individual sick children, children’s hospitals, veterans’ organizations, shooting sports preservation, and wildlife conservation efforts. So far this year, the company has raised over $175,000 for individual families of sick children and presented Shriners International with a $52,500 check to assist with their philanthropic efforts with the renowned Shriners Children’s Hospitals.

The rifles, which sold for $620 each, sold out within a matter of hours after Henry’s initial announcement. The first and last serial numbers in the series were put up for auction and pulled in an additional $6,525 and $2,075, respectively.

Anthony Imperato, President and Owner of Henry Repeating Arms says, “With Preslie’s father being a frontline medical worker in their community’s fire and ambulance departments, I just can’t imagine the struggle this family has been through so far this year.” Imperato continues, “I want to personally thank everyone who chose to support this family with the purchase of a rifle, and I look forward to seeing little Preslie conquer her road to remission. We’re all rooting for her.”