PROJECT HEALING WATERS FLY FISHING INC
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Inc. - is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization. PHWFFI is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled U.S. Armed Service Veterans/Wounded Warriors through fly fishing and fly tying education and outings.
It was incorporated in Maryland as a non-profit early in 2007, and started working at Walter Reed Medical Center in 2005. As of the time of this writing: PHWFFI currently has conducted 93 programs in 72 VAMCs and 21 military facilities- throughout 37 states across the USA and the District of Columbia.
Of all their programs, 38 are run by Federation of Fly Fishers clubs, 34 are run by Trout Unlimited clubs, and 21 are run by other independent clubs. They rely on these established fly fishing clubs to adopt their program, sign a "Memorandum of Agreement" with PHWFFI, and run it in accordance with the provisions set forth by PHWFFI.
PHWFFI manages their organization's programs: (they do not have chapters or members) through 14 Regional Coordinators; who in turn have "Program Leads"- that run the programs at the activity level which include: fly fishing instruction, fly typing classes and fly fishing outings.
They have over ten potential program start ups in the next six months. They have approximately 400 volunteers that gave over 65,000 hours in 2009 equaling approximately- $1, 260,000 in donated labor. They are currently serving approximately 700 military service members and veterans and over 3,000 since their inception.
PHWFFI is governed by a Board of Trustees which is located across the USA and a set of officers elected by that board; and rely on contributions from donors who are primarily corporations, individuals and foundations. They have not as yet received any governmental support; and they operate with only four paid employees: a program manager, a financial Manager, project assistant and management assistant.
“Our organization has achieved remarkable growth since its inception at Walter Reed in 2005. We are now a National organization with programs across the country in 40 States, servicing wounded warriors and disabled veterans in over 90 Military and Veterans hospitals, and Warrior Transition Units. Fly fishing, in all its many forms and applications has proven to be an incredible, positive, outdoor activity, and testimonials and our rapid growth bear witness our program’s effectiveness in the healing process. Our vision is to have programs in all DoD and Veterans Hospitals.”
- Ed Nicholson
President PHWFF Inc
www.projecthealingwaters.org
PO Box 695. La Plata, MD 20646
How wide is your waters? How large is your heart?
Ask yourself if you can make time to take a Veteran or Wounded Warrior on a free fly fishing trip on your waters- a few days each year?
Is that too much to ask?
Look at PHWFFI website, and see if how you can donate or participate as a volunteer in some special way.
Perhaps you fly fish in a river or Trout steam in Colorado, or the Deschutes in Oregon or the Russian in CA for Steelhead, the American River in Kodiak, AK for Pinks and Silver Salmon, or your home waters may be up in Maine chasing Stripers, or off Cape Cod, Mass. You may chase tailing Redfish in the Lower Cape Fear Spartina-grass in Wilmington, NC, or out of Houma or Myrtle Grove in LA, you may feel at home in Jamaica Bay, NY fly fishing for Stripers; or in Maryland trout stream, or fly fishing for Largemouth bass in MO, AZ, or chasing large Speckled Trout on the Laguna Madre, TX, or the Indian or Banana Rivers in Florida. You may chase Tarpon in the Keys or the Gulf Coastal waters- wherever you cast your fly you protect a heritage, and experience a outdoor sporting lifestyle that deserves to be shared. Giving of your time and talents may very well be a great blessing to you.
It could be a great experience in the lives of some veteran or wounded warrior who stood the watch, while you went about your day to day life, why not take a bit of your time to help someone experience the wonderful experience of fly fishing that has brought you a lot of joy and excitement in your life.
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"Joe Guide" is the author of RED FISH ON A FLY (www.redfishonafly.com) the most scholarly fly fishing book ever written on fly fishing the South Atlantic and Gulf Coastal inshore waters for Redfish (RED DRUM).