VERONA, Wis. (WMTV) - A Verona-based small business is honoring those who served in the military, and first responders, in a unique way.

The couple behind Navy Paddles is giving handcrafted wooden paddles a purpose by keeping history alive.

“Some of these are going to family members of military personnel who were killed in action, served multiple duties overseas,” Navy Paddles’ owner and CEO Matt Esquibel said. “We try to honor the stories of the recipients that it’s going to.”

Every recipient, no matter where they are in the world, is also getting a piece of Wisconsin because the wood is local.

“It’s all locally sourced here in Wisconsin,” Esquibel said about the materials used to make the paddles.

But it’s an intricate process, from start to finish.

“It comes in as flat boards. It

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