November 11th marks the anniversary of the end of World War I. In the US, the day is celebrated as Veteran’s Day and is a time to recognize the sacrifices made by all those who have served in the US military.
In 2005, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing was started as effort to help wounded warriors recover from mental and physical trauma by incorporating fly fishing related activities into their rehabilitation program.
Project Healing Waters programming has expanded over the years to include any service member with a Veterans Administration disability rating. Local chapters of Project Healing Waters use fly fishing related events such as fly tying instruction, casting instruction, fly rod building, education, and fly fishing outings as a way for local veterans to gather and spend time in a low-pressure environment. There is no cost for veteran participants!
Earlier this year, DSF was asked to help promote and develop a Project Healing Waters program for veterans Downeast.
Fisheries Biologist Mike Manning was tasked with coordinating between the Project Healing Waters headquarters and the Downeast Trout Unlimited chapter to make the program a reality.
Our local chapter program is now underway -- meetings will be held on the second Thursday of each month at the Peter Gray Hatchery (13 Willow St.) in East Machias from 6-8 pm.
Our first meeting open to the public is next month on Thursday, December 8th!
Know a veteran that might be interested in participating?
Tell them to stop by or contact Mike at mike.manning@projecthealingwaters.org.
There will be plenty more information and ways to get involved there. The Machias Project Healing Waters program is on the lookout for volunteers to help with everything from fly tying, casting, and rod building instruction to support roles such as communications, fundraising, and other administrative functions. Please join us on the 8th or get in touch with Mike to learn more and get involved.
All photos used in this blog post are credited to Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, projecthealingwaters.org
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