Project Healing Waters Chair is Finalist for L.L. Bean Outdoor Hero

As you attempt to recover from your July 4th festivities, please take a moment to cast your vote for Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing's Chairman, Douglas Dear for L.L. Bean's Outdoor Hero 2011.

As you may already know, PHWFF is an organization that promotes healing for our wounded warriors through fly fishing. Mr. Dear has been a die hard supporter of this excellent organization for many years.

Douglas Dear was recognized in the nomination for the L.L. Bean Outdoor Heroes Award for his passionate leadership and tireless efforts which brought about significant and sustained program growth in just four years. From the program’s inception at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. to more than 100 programs in 2011, PHWFF volunteers have assisted disabled veterans and recovering soldiers by exposing them to the therapeutic benefits of fly fishing. The number of PHWFF volunteers and participants has increased every year, and, in 2010, some 3,000 disabled veterans and recovering military service members were involved in regularly scheduled classes and fishing outings offered by PHWFF. Through fly fishing instruction, fly tying classes, fly casting lessons, rod building and fly fishing outings, participants learn new skills that help them enjoy the healing properties of the outdoors and lessen the symptoms of their disabilities.

If being a great guy wasn't enough to get your vote, a win for Douglas means a big donation for Project Healing Waters:

A $5,000 donation will be made to the winner’s 501 (c)(3) nonprofit and the individual with the most votes will also receive a $500 L.L. Bean gift card. Douglas stated, “If I am fortunate enough to win the $5,000 for Project Healing Waters, I will donate the $500 to the organization as well.”

Thanks for taking a few minutes out of your day to cast your vote and help a great organization.

Proj. Healing Waters Two Fly Raises $110k for Wounded Warriors

PROJECT HEALING WATERS EVENT SETS RECORD FOR CONTRIBUTIONS,SMILES

SYRIA, VA -- The Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Inc. 2-Fly Tournament (www.phw2fly.blogspot.com) is billed as a competition where those who catch the most feisty rainbow trout win trophies. Yet, SPC. Billy Herrell, who finished way back in the event was all smiles as he made his way around Rose River Farm (www.roseriverfarm.com) where the benefit was held May 2, to raise money to help soldiers and veterans injured during service to their country.

“I caught trout on the fly rod and I had a lot of fun. Who could ask for more?” said Herrell, who must get around with the aid of a walker due to severe back injuries he received while serving in Iraq. Herrell is stationed at the Warriors in Transition Unit at Fort Eustis.

Ed Nicholson, founder, president and chief executive officer for Project Healing Waters, said, “The tournament aspect of the 2-fly is really a pretense to get us all together to have fun and raise money to provide, fly fishing training and outings for even more service members recovering from wounds or injuries.”

If smiles and donations were the goal, the 2-fly was a tremendous success. Everyone who participated caught fish and the event raised more than $110,000, a new record for the 2-Fly, which is in its fourth year.

Thirty two-man teams participated in the fly fishing contest and 15 of those teams paired an active-duty service member or veteran with a more experienced fly angler. Ten teams with corporate sponsors competed in a Pro/Vet category and 20 teams competed in an open category.

The winners of the Pro/et category were:Army Specialist Caleb Huss, of Woodbridge, Va., and guide Eric Stroup, from Spruce Creek, Pa. Army Sergeant First Class Jose Ortiz, of Ft. Belvoir and guide Chris Murphy of Warrenton, Va. Marine Sergeant (ret.) Sean Locker, of Dahlgren, Va., and guide William Heresniak, of Manassas, Va. The largest fish award went to LCPL (ret.) John Gilroy of Salisbury, N.C.

In the open category only two trophies were awarded. The winners were: Jason Baker and Chris Smith, both of Charlotte, N.C. The largest fish award went to Garretson Carter of Alexandria, Va. The event was sponsored by The Orvis Company, Temple Fork Outfitters, Rose River Farm, Dominion, and numerous other companies that donated fishing gear, gift certificates and other items for a raffle.

Project Healing Waters Fly fishing, Inc. (www.projecthealingwaters.org) 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. Project Healing Waters was founded in 2005 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and is a registered 501c3, non-profit organization. PHWFFI currently has 86 programs in 70 Veteran’s hospitals and 16 military facilities. The organization’s programs operate in 37 states, Canada and U.S. military facilities in Germany with the assistance of Trout Unlimited Chapters, the Federation of Fly Fishers and independent fly fishing clubs.

Rose River Farm - Western Fly Fishing in the East

Douglas Dear, owner of fly fishing destination Rose River Farm in Virginia, sent us a note to let us know that he still has a few dates available for Fall fishing on his excellent fly fishing, catch and release trout fishery.

Just a quick note to let everyone know that I just fished the Farm today and water levels and flows are very good. The River is loaded with hungry trout and is fishing well. We are booking up fast for the fall and if you want to get an opportunity to enjoy the fall colors and catch trophy trout now is the time to book your reservation.

Douglas is a major league supporter for Project Healing Waters and the fishing up at Rose River Farm is first class, so we encourage you to spend some time fishing with him if you get the chance. You can contact Rose River farm and book your visit via their web site http://www.roseriverfarm.com/.

Project Healing Waters: Two Fly Tournament

Project Healing Waters has announced their second annual "Two Fly Tournament" to be held May 4th on the beautiful and trout filled waters of the Rose River that runs through Rose River Farm near Syria, Virginia. 30 teams will compete in the event with at least 10 of the teams being made up of corporate sponsored Pro/Vet teams.

Entry fees are $500 per team or $2,500 if you or your company would like to sponsor a Pro/Vet team. Follow this link to the entry/information form.

Watch for more information and coverage of this event here in the near future.

Project Healing Waters was featured in FlyFishMagazine.com's annual Charitible Giving Guide.

Healing Waters

Douglas Dear, the owner of Virginia fly fishing destination Rose River Farm, gave us a heads up about an article in the Richmond Times Dispatch about wounded Army Ranger Eivind Forseth's experience fly fishing through Project Healing Waters.

"At the time, I was very frustrated with every aspect of my life because of my wounds and my recovery from the wounds. I thought it was just one more thing that was going to frustrate me, and it would be one more thing to remind me I had a permanent disability."
Hooking a fish changed all that.

Project healing water's mission says it all:

Project Healing Waters salutes all of our brave armed forces, and strives to serve those who have come home woundedand aid in their physical and emotional recovery by introducing or rebuilding the skills of fly fishing and fly tying.

Here is a link to the article in the Times Dispatch and a link to the good folks at Rose River Farms where they offer trophy trout fishing.