A professional fly tyer and rod builder in my community has reached advanced age and developed macular degeneration, so he is no longer able to tye and build. He has given me a large amount of both tying and rod building materials which I will happily share with you all, especially any newbies, beginners, kids etc. These materials are too numerous to describe here, but if you will email me with your needs, I will share what I have ! I will foot the postage. 
Paddy you have a PM
you have another one
and yet another PM
I think I am good as far as stuff, but I did want to post to say that I really appreciate your generousity. I think that is wonderful. May you be blessed with a really big fish on your next outing.
:lol: Thanks Midgeman, just trying to stay in the spirit of FAOL. We are a sharing community as Mikey always says. :!:
Well said, and my thoughts as well. I look forward to a small assortment, and will send you back some flies to catch that big one your to be blessed with.
Jonathan
Here, Here!
pm sent
Have you checked with your local schools? They may have a tying class and they are always looking for Tying Materials. The Boy Scouts have a Flyfishing Merit badge, they’re always needing something, especially guest instructors to help the kids obtain their badges. :lol:
Just a thought. I hate to see anyone have to give up “the passion”! If he has the “Dry” form of macular degeneration (the kind that doesn’t leak blood or fluid) I’m afraid he’s out of luck. Not much in the way of treatment for that. If, on the other hand, he has the kind that leaks as a result of abnormal blood vessels under the retina. There are a variety of treatments he can try. He needs to find a good retina specialist if he hasn’t already. There are 2 drugs on the market that actually offer some return of vision with “leaky” macular degeneration. Avastin, a cancer drug, can be used but would be a treatment that is not approved for use in eyes. The other is Lucentis. It is approved, but pricey. Most insurance though would pick it up. Both drugs work. I have seen promising results with each. The average person has about a 40% chance of some improvement of vision. On the hopeful side… a few people have drastic return of vision to the tune of, going from 20/200 which is legal blindness to 20/40 or better, back to driving vision. Hopefully he has a conscientious eye doctor who has already referred him to a retina specialist. Anyway, pardon my rambling! LOL Tell him good luck!
Thanks, Harebear, He has a good retina specialist, in addition, he has COPD and is on O2 and is 85, and so unable to fish anymore.
Thanks for the idea, our local community college did have a fly tying class, but no longer has it and no scout troops are currently tying!
The COPD is rough! Hope for the best.
Hi, I sent you a PM.
I am teaching our boy scout troop for the fly fishing merrit badge. I have at least 2 maybe 3 kids who would be interested in having thier own rod, but the troop is not going to buy it. Currently they barrow my 5wt or 8wt and fish with me. A couple of kids dads already have a rod. I have never built one, but if it is not too hard we can do it. I can send you a reciept for a charitable donation to our troop, just put down what you consider the prices to be of the components. Building a rod may be just the ticket, since there is no rush on finishing this badge. The reason is we will probably have to wait until spring to catch a bass or bluegill to give the boys thier 2nd type of fish caught.
My daughter is a girl scout, I will talk to her leader also, but I think the girls are rather young, 8 yrs old.
Thanks
Sheldon
Sent you a pm. That’s very generous! I love these FF message boards. I can pay postage if necessary.
Doc,
Sent you a PM
Thanks for the offer.
Professor
Hey everybody, the response has been overwhelming :shock: I have all your requests written down in the order they were received and will get to them as I have time. There are no fly tieing tools or rod blanks, but I will try to distribute the materials as evenly and fairly as possible :tieone: Please be patient and if you request something, send an address :!:
Anyone wishing to reimburse me for postage, just check the amount on your package and send it along, my address is on all the packages.
Paddy I wanted to thank you for the Items you sent me they are great Just like Christmas a month Early
We need more people like you in this world
Thanks again
Skip
if you have anything left i will take it willingly. i am 14 and have been tying for a few months now. since august 2006. i am very short on materials. ill PM you.