3. 3
History
2004 – While a patient at Walter
Reed, founder Ed Nicholson
saw many wounded and
wanted to help
2005 – Program launch at
Walter Reed
January 2007 – 501(c)(3) non-profit status through FFF
February 2007 – First VA launch at Togus, Maine
February 2008 – Hired first full-time employee
4. 4
Mission
Project Healing Waters Fly
Fishing is dedicated to the
physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active
military service personnel and veterans through fly
fishing and fly tying education and outings.
5. 5
PHWFF, Inc. Organization
Officers
President, Executive Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary
VP Military Affairs, VP Communications
Board of Trustees
25 Trustees
Regional Leadership
13 Geographic Regions
Regional Coordinators
Full-Time Employees
Program Manager
Administrative Assistant/Finance
Project Assistant
6. 6
National Program Overview
13 Regions with programs in 34 states
77 Active programs
15 Department of Defense programs
62 Veterans Affairs programs
as of 03/2010
8. 8
Who We Serve
•Disabled or wounded active duty military, National
Guard, Reserve, and disabled or wounded veterans
• Disabilities of all types
• Doesn’t matter when or how a person was wounded
or disabled during their military service, as long as
they served our country honorably
9. 9
What We Do
Group Commitment
FFF club or TU chapter
Willingness to serve others
No military experience necessary
Long-term commitment
Teaching Sessions
Casting, tying, rod building
Basics of fly fishing
Fishing outings
Partners
Military or VA hospital
Physical, occupational or recreational therapy staff
Patients….our customers
Commitment to National PHWFF, Inc. ideals
Centralized planning, decentralized execution
10. 10
How To Get Started
• Confirm availability of volunteers at your club
• Familiarize yourself with PHWFF and its benefits
• Approach hospital staff
• Sign Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with PHWFF
• Obtain equipment through donations, purchase or loan
with PHWFF support
• Recruit patients
• Have kick-off event to generate interest
• Schedule classes
• Utilize resources of Regional Coordinator or national
staff
11. 11
Benefits of Fly Fishing
• Fine motor skills
• Eye-hand coordination
• Adjust to use of prosthetic or injured limb
• Lifelong recreational activity
• Balance
• Exercise
• Improve concentration
• Relaxation
• Confidence building
• Camaraderie
• Family bonding
• Physical strength & power
are not necessary
• Therapy translates to
everyday skills
13. Healing Our Neighbors
3,321 New Veterans have been seen by
VA Montana HCS in FY2009, a 19
percent increase over the previous year
and 365 women Veterans an increase of
20%
13
14. Healing Our Neighbors
In FY 2009 2,600 Veterans were
screened for TBI and 174 were positive
an increase of 40% over the previous
year.
14
15. Healing Our Neighbors
In FY 2009, we received 16 Veterans
from military treatment facilities and
these 3 were seriously injured and
seriously ill.
15
17. 17
Success Stories
“It really raised my self esteem, and it felt like I could do something. Lots of times
we’re told we can’t do anything because we’ve got a mental illness.”
[California Veteran]
“Look how your vision of bringing PHW here is having such an impact on the
veterans.”
[Recreational Therapist, Batavia VA, New York]
“You [PHWFF] have offered me another avenue to continue recovering physically and
emotionally. I thank you for what you have offered me. Please keep up the good work.”
[Maine Veteran]
This veteran “has been a patient here for several years and most of the staff have
never seen him smile. He hasn’t stopped smiling since you took him fishing.”
[Chief of Psychiatry, Day Treatment Center, Long Beach VAMC]
18. 18
Success
Stories
“I would like to say thank
you to the board members
of PHWFF for your support
and dedication to the men
and women of the Armed
Forces who are healing not
only on the outside, but on
the inside through your
graciousness of time and
money to helping us heal.”
[SFC, USA, Walter Reed
PHWFF wounded warrior]
19. 19
“ PHWFF helped in getting
my head together during my
recovery at Walter Reed. It
was the perfect outlet for
me while I was trying to
adjust to my injuries and
was a great help in
broadening my horizons,
giving me the hope and
confidence that, no matter
what my disabilities, I could
still achieve and enjoy the
activities of the outdoors
and accomplish what I
wanted to.“
[SGT, USA, Walter Reed
PHWFF wounded warrior]
Success Stories
20. 20
Success
Stories
“The generosity and
kindness of the people
affiliated with this
organization was
overwhelming. There is a
healing that no doctor or
medical professional can
prescribe that will replace
the healing of the heart and
mind I experienced on this
trip. Not only have you
welcomed me, but you
welcomed my wife and
made a fly fisher out of her.
Thank you for an incredible
experience.”
[SSG, USA, Walter Reed
PHWFF wounded warrior
after the May 2008 Two Fly
Tournament]
21. 21
Success Stories
“Never have I felt less in control of my life as I did when I arrived at Walter
Reed Army Medical Center with wounds and injuries sustained in
Afghanistan.”
“It is through events such as a day on the river fly fishing that has allowed
me to regain some control over my life and limbs. Any day on the river is a
good day. The pain goes away, and for a while I am allowed to be one with
nature.”
Diane Cochran
22. 22
What We’ve Learned
• We have to be flexible.
There is no rigid program or schedule that
is appropriate for each group. We must
evaluate and adapt to their abilities.
• We have to be creative.
Figuring out how to teach to a particular
disability can be challenging but it makes
us better instructors. For example, how
does a vet with almost no use of one arm
build a rod or tie a fly?
• We have to be sensitive.
We must respect the needs of someone
who has undergone a traumatic
experience or great deal of stress,
including their right to privacy. Many
times do not know exactly what their
disabilities are.
• We have to keep it fun. The smiles
say it all.
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Want to Learn More ?
http://projecthealingwaters.org
(301) 399-7396
Notes de l'éditeur
I am going to talk about Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing.
This is one of our early participants shortly after he was injured in Iraq and later when he became involved in PHWFF. He will tell you that PHW pulled him out of a “deep, dark place” in the aftermath of his injury.
While recovering from surgery at Walter Reed Army Hospital in 2004, Retired Naval Captain Ed Nicholson saw many young men and women receiving care for serious injuries suffered in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ed knew how therapeutic fly fishing can be, and thought it might be helpful to some of these wounded warriors. He solicited the help of some fishing friends and Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing was born.
The Program was officially started early in 2005 at Walter Reed, and initially focused on active duty personnel hospitalized there. Classes in fly tying and casting were taught, and fishing outings were offered.
After witnessing the benefits of these fly fishing activities, a decision was made to expand nationwide to both Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs hospitals. In order to do this, PHWFF obtained 501c3 nonprofit status through the Federation of Fly Fishers, and incorporated in the state of Maryland early in 2007. Rather than create new local organizations, existing FFF and Trout Unlimited clubs were invited to participate.
The first VA program launched in February 2007 at the Togus Veterans Affairs hospital in Maine.
In 2008, two full-time employees were hired to help manage the administrative responsibilities of the rapidly growing organization.
As of February 2009, there are 50 locals programs operating in ten geographic regions. Eight of these programs are in Department of Defense military hospitals, and 43 are in Veterans Affairs hospitals or other facilities.
We serve any injured or disabled active duty, guard or reserve personnel, as well as veterans. We work with all types of disabilities, both physical and mental, and their disabilities do not have to be service-connected. Anyone who is eligible for health care in a military or veterans hospital is eligible to participate in Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing.
We start with a FFF club or TU chapter that has members willing to serve others.
That club or chapter provides volunteers to teach fly casting, tying, and the basics of fly fishing. Recently some programs have started teaching rod building as well. Participants are taken on fishing outings, which may be day trips or overnight.
The local club partners with the staff of a military or VA hospital. In some locations, we interface with the physical therapists, occupational therapists, or recreational therapists. In other locations, we work through the Department of Voluntary Services. Each hospital has its own unique characteristics.
And, of course, we have to recruit and partner with a group of patients interested in learning to fly fish. Everything is provided to the military personnel at no cost.
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing provides centralized planning, but the execution of those plans is in the capable hands of local fishing clubs.
If your club is potentially interested in starting a program, the first step is confirm the availability of volunteers. It might be necessary to work with one group during the day, but another group in the evening.
Read the PHWFFF Program Guide and other related material to familiarize yourselves with the program, its benefits, and what we do.
Make contact with the hospital staff to schedule a meeting to discuss PHWFF. We can often help by providing contact information and written materials.
Sign the MOA to officially become part of the national organization. A signed MOA entitles your club to financial support, the opportunity to participate in select fishing trips, to benefit from donated or heavily discounted equipment and materials, and to benefit from the name-recognition and publicity of PHWFF.
Decide what equipment you will need. Some can be obtained through donations, local fundraising, or discounted purchases through PHWF. Your club may already have ample equipment.
Have a Kick-Off event to publicize and promote the program. The goal of the Kick-Off event is to recruit patients for your program. Various therapists often facilitate this.
Discuss with the therapists and patients tentative classes and develop a schedule that meets their needs and limitations.
Don’t hesitate to ask if you need help or advice. Each program has a Regional Coordinator, in addition to the national staff.
There are many potential benefits to fly fishing. These will vary with the disability or injury of each participant.
Rather than try to tell you how beneficial PHWFF can be, here are some testimonials from actual participants.
We as volunteers have learned much from our participation in PHWFF.
We’ve learned that we must be flexible. There is no one way to teach fly casting or fly tying. We can start off with a tentative schedule and plan, but it has to be regularly evaluated and modified as we get to know the needs and limitations of the individuals in a particular group. And each group will be different.
We’ve also learned that we must be creative. Some types of injuries present challenges. If you can’t figure out how to work with a particular disability, ask your Regional Coordinator. If he or she doesn’t know, they can tap into the nationwide network to get recommendations.
We must be sensitive. It goes without saying that most of the veterans we are working with have been traumatized, physically or emotionally, or both. We have to be patient and good listeners. The right to medical privacy is federally protected, so we often do not know exactly what their disabilities are.
Keep it fun. You will know you are doing a good job by all the smiles you see.
Please look at our national website at projecthealingwaters.org for more information and photographs.
