A message from Celtic Wolf

The Naked Whiz · April 2011

Pete Benac, aka Celtic Wolf, asked me to post this letter from him on the forum regarding his current and past situation. Pete no longer reads the forum so he won't be responding to any forum replies to his letter. He just wants the opportunity to explain his side of the story. If anyone wishes to contact Pete, you will see that he provides his email address in his letter.

Greetings,

I asked Doug to post this message, because I have no desire to come back to the forum.

It has come to my attention there are those amongst you who feel the need to slander me based on whatever truth you want to believe. While slander is a strong word, the lies being spread are just that, slanderous. With rare exception and especially those that wish to continue the slander, no one has taken the time to ask ME what happened. Well I will explain my side of the story. Now I know there are those that will not believe the truth even if God himself told you it was true. You are not the ones this letter is addressed to.

I do not seek pity and I am definitely not asking for forgiveness. I do not care if you believe me or not. I will not grovel to anyone, nor will I argue; however, since there seems to be a need to delve into my business, you are about to get the truth.

Some of you knew I was unemployeed for over two years. I tried going back to college to start a different career. That was not destined to happen for one major reason, my ex-wife. As of writing this letter I owe her over $20,000.00 in back child support. Frankly if I was to be stealing the money donated I would hope you'd would think I'd be smart enough to pay off that debt.

In those two years I was unemployed not one dime was paid to the IRS. Taxes due on all that unemployment aren't minor. Again I suppose to could have stolen the monies donated to pay the IRS, but silly me I used it to pay for the food, fuel and transportation cost to feed the troops.

As for the T-shirt, well that money too was used to feed the troops. Many of you may recall an event we did in NH. I was told there would be over 1700 people there and there would be a good deal of civilians there who would buy the BBQ. So I geared up for all of that. Maybe 400 people showed up and we sold all of 25 pounds of BBQ. The cost of the food was almost 3 times what I was used to paying. After the dust settled, ASBBQ was $1,000 in debt and that was after spending $1,500 of my own money. I gambled and lost. ASBBQ is still $800 in debt, which includes the money needed to produce the T-shirts.

After two years of being unemployed I finally got a job driving a tractor-trailer. Not nearly paid what I used to make in IT, but I am a great deal happier.

As for the money owed to people for the T-shirts never received, you can send me your snail mail address via ppbenac@gmail.com. I will pay you back as I can. It won't happen overnight, but it will happen. If you chose to send me an email expounding on your morals and my apparent lack of them, don't expect a response. I will not argue with anyone. You can chose to believe me or not. Your judgment of me does not matter. I answer only to God's judgment.

Regards, Pete (Celtic Wolf)

Capt Frank · April 2011

Very sad, it is definetly true that bad things happen to good people

Weekend Warrior · April 2011

Now that Pete has bared his soul so to speak, I hope that some of his detractors here would cut the man a break. I firmly do not believe that Pete used any of our donations for anything other than troop cooks and American Spirit still ended up in the red. I hope that those that paid for and were expecting T-shirts would consider those monies a donation to a good cause and forgive the debt given Pete's current circumstances and those of American Spirit BBQ.

I wish Pete well and I hope if and when he comes back to the forum, that he would be welcomed back into the family he so fervently supported for so many years.

Mark

boston_stoker · April 2011

I will miss Pete's posts. I thought he was very helpful and had a unique perspective as a result of his troop cooks. It is unfortunate to say the least that his troop cooks have ceased.

Grandpas Grub · April 2011

Well said Mark.

Kent

Smokey · April 2011

Pete has always been a good guy.

The difficulties he went through are not a fun read and I would not wish that on anyone. His perserverance is just an expample of the kind of person his is.

Pete, I have a great deal of respect for you and all you have done (cooking, supporting the troops and getting though some VERY hard times).

Best of luck going forward

hornhonk · April 2011

I tried going back to college to start a different career. That was not destined to happen for one major reason, my ex-wife. As of writing this letter I owe her over $20,000.00 in back child support.

What a wonderful guy. Blames it on his ex. No mention of the kids. Sorry, no sympathy here.

Hungry Celeste · April 2011

I was sympathetic until I hit that part, too. I hope his kids don't surf the 'net. Sure would hate for a kid to see that sort of foolishness out of the mouth of his/her father.

Buckethead · April 2011

Fell better now?

Davekatz · April 2011

Thanks Pete.

I donated a little to the cause and have no reason to believe the money went anywhere other than to fill the troops bellies with barbecue.

I appreciate Pete's efforts and advice. I'll miss him around here.

Dave

dhuffjr · April 2011

Thanks Doug.

Slotmercenary · April 2011

Greetings,
After following this whole debacle from the beginning I will say I have no dog in this fight, and this is the only response I have posted. I think that Pete had all good intentions with his efforts towards the troops. I contributed with some sizable donations and feel they were used appropriately to the spirit in which they were made. Again, I believe that Pete had the best intentions and wholeheartedly believed in what he was doing. BUT.

It is hard to bestow sympathy on an individual that openly claimed his superior intelligence and was constantly so condescending to so many that were indirectly supporting his efforts. I think the shirt money is infintismal in the scheme of things. Most people just wanted to be kept in the loop as to what was really happening and why.

There comes a time when a man has to stand and answer for his actions. But once again, having someone else, instead of himself, post a letter on the site that HE shamelessly used for solicitation of funds for his endeavors is just another slap in the face.

Be well Pete and God Bless.

AnnaG · April 2011

Have you ever considered that, maybe, just maybe, she kept taking him to court, which certainly costs money. That takes away from what he could possibly send to her and the kids. If you already have 0 dollars and you keep having to deal with issues that cost dollars, then you can see how this is going. Nobody wins at that point!

I have no idea if this is the case, however I didn't feel the need to kick a man while he is already down. I thought it best to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I am as guilty as the next person about making a quick judgement, so I was just trying to point out another point of view. No throwing stones here because my glass house ain't purrfect!

Little Steven · April 2011

TNW,

That is nice and all but sleeping dogs should be left to lie. I don't see any good that come out of this and personally I wouldn't have put it up.

Steve

Jeffersonian · April 2011

Arf! Arf!! :woohoo:

hornhonk · April 2011

The only one throwing stones, IMO, is the author. Little Steven is correct. This should have never been printed. I should never have commented in the first place. :S

Willie · April 2011

We will miss Pete's postings, and wish him well in all that he does. Take care of those kids.
Regards
Willie.

NC-CDN · April 2011

We shouldn't shoot the messenger. He only did as he was asked. Sounds like he's having a rough patch, but that doesn't take away from what happened. It seems as though he didn't want it to turn out this way either. You just have to decide if you want to see the good in everyone or not. He should have posted it himself I agree. There is the chance that he don't have net access at home anymore due to finances.

Hopefully he rights his life. Life isn't always perfect. As for a $20 shirt. It's only 20 bucks (10, 15 or 30...I don't know). I know that's not the point, but in the whole scheme of things I think he's done alot of selfless work that frankly most people in this Country wouldn't do. Heck most people barely say "boo" to the troops as they pass them by in the airports. Even with them making the sacrifice for this, and other Countries around the World.

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