PHW News Archive

Great Day with Don Stewart at the Two Fly Fund Raiser for Project Healing Waters, Rose River Farms, Madison, VA, May 4, 2008

I acted as Don Steward’s personal guide during the fundraiser. Fifteen Warriors along with their fly fishing pro took part in the second annual national event.

Don has been a patient at McGuire VA center for seven months. During that time Don took part in the fly tying and casting programs FFV has held under the PHW program.

On the day of the contest Don fished beat 5 and took his first trout on a fly. He ended up on that beat with a total of 14 fish. Don used a Red Butt bead head nymph. On the final beat he netted two nice rainbows (both over 16 inches) taken on one of Don’s own tied Woolly Buggers. . At the end of the contest Don placed 4th over all. Great day for Don! One more reinforcement that the program at McGuire produces results.

Phil Johnson

FFV / PHW First Fly Fishing Trip Report 10/30/07

Click on the thumbnails for a larger view of the picture

Our first fly fishing trip with five Vets from McGuire VA hospital took place on Oct 30, 2007. The day started out on the cold side slightly delaying the Vets arrival and fishing start..

Carroll & Gretchen Smith have been very gracious in allowing the Vets as well as the club members of FFV to use their wonderful farm pond. The facility accommodated the Vets who were all in wheelchairs.

The Vets started using their new casting skills and in no time were catching fish. We had a ratio of two FFV members to one Vet; they all work as a team.

Due to the late start Jo Ann Lindstrom headed up the lunch duties. She and George Pearson delivered the lunch to each fishing team on the waters edge so the Vets would not lose any time fishing.

The club members and PHW friends who volunteered did a great job with the Vets.

The following guys worked on the fishing teams: Bill Pearsall .Steve Lewis ,Dale Huggins, Vin Lacovara, Thom Wheeler, Richard Scott, Steve Klein, Lynn Spurlin, Jean-Paul Cosse and Phil Johnson. John Bass, Regional Coordinator for PHW, was on hand supporting Vets as well as the FFV members. John is unique in as much as he has been wheelchair bound most of this life and an avid fly fisherman.

Mark Sargent did a fine job of taking pictures of the event.

A great deal was learned from this first trip.

	The VA really like the facilities the Smith farm provide as they can see about 80 to 90 % of the pond so if any problem did occur help could be sent ASAP
	We need two club members for each Vet in wheelchairs, minimum.
	Simple box lunches work well and the Vets like them.
	Make sure there is fish in the pond. The Vets really got a kick out of catching any kind of fish.
	Develop a plan with assigned task.

The bottom line is making sure the Vets are having fun!

We will plan other trips down the road.

I think FFV can hold their heads up high in as much as we really did a lot in 2007. Regular tying classes (1 & 3 Monday of each month). Regular casting classes (2 & 4 Wed of each month). A one wonderful fun day fly fishing trip.

Great job guys!

Phil Johnson

       McGuire VA Hospital-Project Healing Waters –Kick off Meeting Report

The Fly Fishers of Virginia (FFV) began in December 2006 working with the 
Recreation Therapy staff at McGuire to lay the ground work to establish 
a Project Healing Waters (PHW) program for the Veterans. As a result of a lot 
of support from many members, suppliers, and good friends who support PHW 
a well received Kick off Meeting was held on Saturday July 14. 

Ms Kristen Lessig, head recreational therapist, at the Spinal 
Column Injury unit provided information FFV will need in dealing with Veterans.
The information was very helpful.

At the meeting 15 Veterans, as well as 25 FFV members and friends heard Ed Nicholson, 
President and Project Coordinator CPT Eivind Forseth, USA speak about PHW mission 
and goals. Larry Cortright, President of FFV as well as many members of the Board of 
Directors were on hand to lend their support. Also in attendance were members of the 
Falmouth Flats Fly Fishing Club who will support the program by working with FFV 
on taking the Veterans on fly fishing outings in the future. 

Fly tying demonstrations, fly fishing equipment displays, and fly 
casting session were held. Some of the Veterans tried their hand at casting. 

Phil Johnson

	


Here is an e-mail from FFV member Mike Hatfield abut one of

his experiences with Project Healing Waters...

...I had the honor this past weekend (5/'07) to have been invited to fish with one of the
Wounded Warriors at the PHW 2-Fly tournament on the Rose River. There were 14 Warriors participating in this event with a wide range of injuries. The angler I was paired up with was Sgt. Dennis Cline from Ft. Meade. Dennis had lost part of his left arm in Afghanistan in Sept of 2006 and has been attending PHW fly tying and casting clinics. Dennis had always been a hunter and had bass fished some but this was to be his first time ever fly fishing. When I met him Saturday morning he immediately set up his tying vice and tied a couple of Rose River Specials for myself and Eric Stroup of Spruce Creek Fly Co. When our turn finally arrived to hit the water, Dennis went to work. For someone that had never been on a stream fly fishing before and only taken clinics through PHW, his abilities were fantastic. I would point out the drifts or holding areas and Dennis would hit the mark just about every time. Sm all pockets in tight cover was no challenge, he would put the fly just where it needed to be. After a couple of short strikes and a fly change or two Dennis asked to put on one of the Rose River Specials that he had tied himself. Three casts later Dennis was hooked up and the first fish he ever caught on a fly rod was also caught on a fly he had tied. The smile on his face in the attached picture doesn't come close to the excitement he was feeling. These Wounded Warriors are an exceptional group of men and women and I thank all of you for any help you can give in getting this program started in Richmond...

Regards,
Mike Hatfield
FFV