Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and veterans through fly fishing and fly tying education and outings.Healing Waters Fly Fishing, INC. (PHWFF) was founded in 2005 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), with the help of local Trout Unlimited (TU) and Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) volunteers. Our mission: Assist in the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active duty military personnel and veterans through fly fishing and fly tying education and outings.

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PHWFF provides basic fly fishing, fly casting, and fly tying instruction for wounded personnel, ranging from beginners to those with prior fly fishing experience, who are adapting their skills to their new abilities. While initially focused on military personnel in the Washington, DC area, PHWFF has expanded and is offering its services to active military personnel and veterans in military and Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals across the nation. Currently, over 70 such programs have been established in the U.S. and Canada.

Since its inception, PHWFF has been helping disabled active duty personnel and veterans to overcome the obstacles associated with their military service-related disabilities. The relearning of the fine motor skills required in fly fishing and fly tying has proven to be particularly effective in the overall rehabilitation of the disabled.

While PHWFF emphasizes the skills of fly fishing and fly tying to help the patients regain the use of their damaged bodies, perhaps the greatest benefit is in their realization that a more normal life is possible. Fly fishing can be a lifelong re-creation, both physically and emotionally.

PHWFF partners directly with fly fishing oriented organizations such as the FFF and TU. Within local clubs and chapters, volunteers, working with hospital staff, donate their time to teach the various skills involved in the sport of fly fishing to Project participants. PHWFF, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity incorporated in the State of Maryland, is dependent on tax-deductible financial donations and the help of numerous volunteers to meet the educational, training, equipment, transportation, and related outing needs of the participants. PHWFF strives to effectively serve its deserving participants, who have made great sacrifices in the service of our Nation.

All Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing activities are dependent on tax deductible financial donations under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code. The organization is incorporated in the state of Maryland.

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. strives to effectively serve the deserving past and present members of our armed forces who have made great sacrifices in the service of our Nation

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc.SM Program

While initially focusing on the military personnel in the Washington, DC area, the Project has expanded nationwide and is offering its services and program to active military personnel and veterans in Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals throughout the country.

The Project’s program provides basic fly fishing, fly casting, fly tying and rod building classes and clinics for wounded and injured personnel ranging from beginners to those with prior fly fishing and tying experience who are adapting their skills to their new abilities. All activities and services are provided to the participants at no cost. Fly fishing and tying equipment and materials are provided to the participants, including equipment that accommodates their special needs.

Project Healing Waters is unique in that our volunteers are teaching classes on an on-going, long term basis.  It is much more than a one day fishing trip.  For many participants, particularly disabled veterans, the socialization and camaraderie of the classes are just as important as the fishing outings, and provide them a new activity.

The Project’s training and educational activities are designed to ignite or rekindle the participants’ appreciation and enthusiasm for a wide variety of fly fishing outings. While most of these fishing trips are conducted within a half-day’s travel from a hospital, the Project actively seeks opportunities to offer outings in quality fishing sites across the county.  The trips, near and far, are provided at no cost to the participants.

The Project relies on Federation of Fly Fishers, Trout Unlimited, and independent fly fishing clubs to conduct the program at the DOD and DVA hospitals across the nation. The volunteer staff and outings leaders include professional educators and fishing guides as well as experienced fly fishers, all of whom donate their time and knowledge to support the Project participants. Other volunteers help meet the educational, equipment, outings, training, and transportation needs.

In order to have a viable Project Healing Waters program, three groups must co-exist: a fly fishing club willing to provide the volunteers and organize the program, a DOD or DVA hospital willing to host the program, and wounded or disabled soldiers or veterans willing to participate.  Because each of these groups is unique, no two Project Healing Waters programs will be exactly the same.

CONTACTS:

1)    WRAMC:  David Folkerts, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 703 314-9108;

2)    DeWitt HCN Fort Belvoir: Mike Cherwek, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 540 809-1048;

3)    KACC Fort Meade: Larry Vawter, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 443 844-9615