I’ve participated in the rod swap for the last couple of years and while I love to build, the last thing I probably need is another rod.
After looking at Yonks rod he donated to the Vets project I got to thinking.
What if all those who wanted to build, put a rod together and we donated them all to a project like Yonks did?
Just a thought!
You know where my vote will lay.
I gave a couple of rods to the same project Yonks did. This was organized over on rodbuildingforum.com.
I bet all of you think I am going to ask for rods for my Boy Scouts. Nope. I have contacts for 3 folks here in the Mountain West in Colorado and Wyoming for Project Healing Waters, which is the group these rods were built for.
Besides Boy Scouts, I am active with the Men’s Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars. No, I did not serve. I was 4F during the Vietnam War, unsuitable for service. My Auxiliary at Fort Logan is adopting Project Healing Waters as a pet project. The next State Commander will be from our Post and is an avid fly fisher. We have several Post members who are currently active duty and serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. What? You thought we were out of Iraq? Not completely.
You can go to www.projecthealingwaters.org and get contact information for your area. I have it for Colorado.
Gary Spuhler - gspuhler3832@comcast.net Gary runs the program in Colorado Springs at Ft Carson, and is a great contact for other such donations. Mr. Martinez - martinez169@comcast.net Marty works with the VA closely in Denver and could always use help with building instruction too.
For the Rocky Mountain area, Give Guy Beaudoin a holler at guy.beaudoin@us.army.mil.
He can get you to the right folks in the Rocky Mountain area.
This program is big here due to the VA Hospital in Denver and Fort Carson in Colorado Springs. Between Denver and Colorado Springs is easy access to some of teh best fly fishing Colorado has to offer.
We all know how relaxing fishing can be. Many of you who are vets understand the therapeutic benefits fishing can have.
I am already planning on 2 more rods. One for the Springs and one for Denver.
BTW, they need reels and other stuff, too. If someone makes lanyards, those would be great.