Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing is dedicated to the physical and emotional healing of our Disabled Veterans through fly fishing. We create an environment in which they can experience nature, find a sense of community, and thrive. We offer classes covering the basics of fly fishing, casting, fly tying, rod building and net building along with single and multi-day outings on the water. We are 100% donation based, using 100% volunteers at the program level, and 100% free to our participants.
Outdoor activities are proven to lesson Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and co-morbid symptoms and improve well-being in Military Veterans. This is particularly important for a clinical population who are traditionally thought to be difficult to engage in formal therapies and yet whose continued ill health is a considerable burden to the individuals, families and communities involved.
We grew by 25% last year, and funds will go toward expanding our services to allow all our participants to receive the interaction needed to maintain their healing journey. We owe our veterans, who have given so much, a community where they can feel at home and heal.
29% of Veterans that served in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom and 21% of Veterans that served in the Persian Gulf War suffer from PTSD at some point in their life.
“If not for all of you in this program, I know I would have been a listing in the 22 (Veteran suicides) per day. Life has so much more meaning for me now.” — Anonymous Disabled Veteran, program participant
Phone: (719) 465-3717