SADLER: Blessed on healing waters

One of the best parts of being involved in the outdoor industry is being able to sit on the boards of some wonderful organizations. One of the most rewarding ones is Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc.

The mission of Project Healing Waters is the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active duty military personnel and veterans through fly-fishing and fly-tying education and outings.

This all got started in 2005 when retired U.S. Navy Capt. Ed Nicholson approached some friends about trying to use fly-fishing and fly-tying as tools to aid the recovery of military personnel who had been wounded, injured or disabled.

“I had just retired from my second career in private industry, having completed 30 years in the Navy, 10 years prior.” said Nicholson. “I had always been an avid outdoors person and now, with time on my hands, was intent on spending as many days a field, as I could, fly-fishing and bird hunting.”

I knew Nicholson. He had taken a class at Dusty Wissmath’s Fly-Fishing School where I teach. Wissmath and I both were early fans of Nicholson and his idea. Wissmath was one of the first professional instructors to offer a class to these wounded service men.

“Having had the opportunity, in 2004, of spending a week in one of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center wards recovering from surgery, I was able to observe the recovering wounded who were also patients there.” said Nicholson. “After I retired, I thought of those wounded service men and women and an idea formed that perhaps I could interest a few of them in fly-fishing. I figured as long as I was going fishing anyway, I’d be more than happy to take those interested on my outings.”

As Nicholson’s idea grew he reached out to members of the Federation of Fly-Fishers and Trout Unlimited. Both groups became early and strong supporters of the idea, providing both volunteers and financial support.

Colonel Bill Howard and Captain Tim Valentine, (an avid fly fisherman himself) from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, then lent their enthusiastic support and the project took off.

Nicholson and other PHWFF volunteers began working with recovering veterans at Walter Reed in the Washington, D.C. area. The project quickly expanded. Today it offers services and programs to active military personnel and veterans in military and Veterans Affairs hospitals across the country.

In the last three years the growth has been impressive. Today, there are ten regional coordinators covering 40 states. So far 47 programs are up and running. Nine are at military hospitals and 38 are at Veterans Affairs’ hospitals. More are expected to start up next year.

Project Healing Waters offers basic fly-casting, fly-fishing and fly-tying classes and clinics. Equipment, materials and services are provided at no cost to the participants, including equipment that accommodates any special needs.

To complement the training and educational program, participants are also offered a wide variety of fly-fishing outings. Volunteers include professional educators, fishing guides, instructors and other volunteers helping meet the educational, equipment, outings, training and transportation needs.

As a charitable organization, the Project relies on financial support from the general public.

The major fundraising activity is the annual Two-Fly Tournament held each spring at Rose River Farm in Madison County.

Douglas Dear, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing’s chairman, owns the farm and makes it available for the tournament. Dear manages a section of the Rose River and stocks it with rainbow and brown trout.

This mile-long stretch of private water normally commands a $85 per rod fee for catch-and-release fly-fishing. Each year Dear waives the fees and donates his facility for the tournament and makes sure there are nice healthy, hungry fish for the event.

For the last two years ten two-person “Pro Teams,” consisting of a veteran and a professional guide, compete for bragging rights and donated prizes. Twenty additional amateur teams pay an entry fee and compete as well.

Last year the “two-fly” as it is affectionately called netted the organization more than $55,000.

In the Valley, Bob and Robin Fitch of Bridgewater hosted the Mossy Creek Invitational at their farm. Thirteen wounded warriors from medical facilities at Walter Reed, Fort Belvoir, Fort Carson and Fort Leonard Wood enjoyed some excellent spring creek fishing along Mossy Creek.

Over 100 individuals volunteered their time to make this event a success. With the generous financial support from the Fitchs, and sponsoring anglers, this event raised over $80,000.

PHWFF has been to the Fly-Fishing Show here in Waynesboro for the last few years. The group has set up a booth and provides the public information on the work they do. They plan to be at the show again this spring.

“Last year we raised around $600 but even more important we made some new friends and some good connections,” said John Bass, one of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing’s board members.

I could fill this newspaper with heart-warming stories about the wounded warriors, the volunteers and the people who support this effort. I encourage you to go to the Web site at http://www.projecthealingwaters.org and see them yourself.

I said it at Thanksgiving and it bears repeating. As you enjoy the holidays take a moment to remember that, around the country and the world, there are men and women in service to this country who are not home with friends and family. They are standing watch so we can stay safe in our homes. When you can, take a moment to offer your heartfelt thanks to them. I know they will appreciate it.

Editor’s Note: Tom Sadler is an avid fly-fisherman, guide and instructor and founder of The Middle River Group, an organization that provides diverse business expertise to the conservation and wildlife management community and the hunting, fishing and shooting sports industry.

You can follow Tom Sadler on Twitter at https://twitter.com/troutscout or go to his blog at http://middleriverdispatches.blogspot.com. Tom Sadler can be reached by e-mail at .