AMERICA'S WOUNDED WARRIORS - Healing through Fly Fishing
The proud history of the American Military started with the American Revolution and has continued to this day. We have honored those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. We remember and honor the outstanding hero?s, as we should. For those wounded warriors that return there are medals, medical treatment and then some are unfortunately forgotten.
Hate to bust your bubble, Tom, but they are not unique. Project Healing Waters does the same thing. We have 2 chapters in Colorado, one at Ft Carson and one at the Denver VAMC.
That's a really un-called-for post. First of all, Warriors and Quiet Waters is unique. So is Project Healing Waters. So is Rivers of Recovery. So is Heroes on the Water. So is Take a Soldier Fishing. So is Hooked On America of the Adaptive Fly Fishing Institute. They're ALL unique is some ways, but similar in others. And it is unbecoming to PHWFF when every time one of the other programs gets some positive press and it gets mentioned on the Internet in some way that people can post comments, someone associated with PHWFF (as a volunteer) has to post a "yeah, but PHW does that too!" on there.
There is plenty of room for all of us and it is not about us anyway! Get your ego issues out of the way and keep the main thing the main thing. Anyone who is helping wounded troops or disabled vets is good by me and I support them 100%. And I am glad for them when they get some positive attention. And I do not need to steal a piece of it. Neither do you.
Ken Morrow, AFFP
President, AFFI, Inc.
Former Regional Coordinator, PHWFF, Inc.
Now for the post I intended to make when I clicked on this topic...
Tom,
Nice article about a great program. Thanks for writing about this. I first came in contact with the guys from Warriors and Quiet Waters about 3 years ago. I sent several people on their trips back when I was a RC for PHWFF. They do awesome programs up there. Everyone who went was blown away and came back a different person. The folks up there really bend over backwards to make them feel appreciated and welcome. And the fly fishing expertise they convey to the troops is as good as anything I've seen. One of my good friends who was really torn up badly in Afghanistan went up there. She still struggles, but she still fishes. And she still loves Warriors and Quiet Waters and helps raise money and awareness for them every chance she gets. They are truly one of the highest quality programs going.
Tom Travis has been involved I believe from the beginning and he is a vet as well, and his son and his wife are currently serving in the Army in Afghanistan. Needless tosay Trav and I are very proud of them all. We were still in Montana when this specific one happened and knew it would be coming as an article when Tom could manage it. I don't care which of the programs you support, but I sure do hope and pray you support one. It's very small "thanks" for the service these folks gave.
I am darn proud of all of you...
Lets make that a click-able link to their site:
http://warriorsandquietwaters.org/
There that is better. Hope it helps.
God bless the folks involved in all of these organizations.
I'm glad y'all get it. I just had to say something. But now I have to say something else:
You can pass whatever blessing you might wish for me on to those wounded and to the families of the dead. I'm fine. And with our help, maybe...just maybe...some of these guys and gals will someday have the same attitude when someone tries to thank them for helping the next generation that returns home broken and battered from fighting their nation's war.
I don't want people to thank us. I don't want people to praise or notice us. I want people to HELP us!
LF, the Army family is amazingly "small" for as big and chaotic of an organization as it is. I had a brief email exchange w/Tom's daughter as she was preparing to leave for Afghanistan this time. I thought that wa kind of cool.
what i really want to say is a heartfelt thank you to ALL the organizations, EVERY one of them, from the guides who take time out ,event staff who miss work to volunteer and people behind the scenes to help out this countrys DAV's and their familys. it's this kind of love that makes this country great. my 2 cents ,
best,
heinrich