Each June and July, our friends at DeCA and S&K conduct a special promotion in support of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing. During those months, each time you purchase one of the many participating brands, a portion of the sale is donated to PHWFF.

April 24 -26, 2013 --Three times is the charm. When the President of the Deposit, New York, American Legion Post, Ken Darling, first invited the veteran participants of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing – New York City program, also known as Veteran Anglers of New York (VANY) to fish the West Branch of the Delaware, we were thrilled. He had arranged with the brothers, Matt and Sam Batschelet, who own and operate the beautiful, auspiciously located West Branch Angler and Resort, and are active supporters of PHWFF to donate three days at their lodge for our outing. Ken, whose family has lived, hunted and fished the Deposit area dating back to before the Revolutionary War, awaits our arrival with overladen platters of sandwiches and soft drinks. Along with his friends from the American Legion, they host every delicious, homemade meal including a riverside outdoor grilling bonanza with unique upstate NY sausages and his secret recipe baked beans. Veterans of wars current and past who are active in his Post along with their families mingle with our NYC veterans trading stories and sharing thick slices of cake baked by their wives.

The Long Beach Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing outing to Bishop, California took place May 14 through 17, with 10 disabled veterans and 10 volunteers participating. The trip, as in past years, was a resounding success. Everyone checked into the Creekside Inn in Bishop, California, Tuesday afternoon and then met in the lobby for a quick briefing before being escorted in convoy to the Bishop VFW for dinner. Upon arrival at the VFW post the group was met by crowd of flag waving, Bishop residents, who graciously welcomed and fed our PHWFF members a wonderful delicious meal of Olga’s homemade burritos. Old friendships were renewed and new friendships began. Once again Olga and her gang made us feel at home.

Do you know a PHWFF supporter who would rather golf? On August 19, 2013 it will be time to tee off for the tent time at the Connecticut Golf Club for the Tenth Annual Golf Tournament. Again this year, the proceeds will go to Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing for wounded and disabled veterans. This event raised more than $5,000 for PHWFF last year.

The following is a guest editorial by Ed Nicholson appearing today on RealClearPolitics.

On April 27, 2013, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF) presented the Patriot Award to Dr. Warren R. Phillips for sustained extraordinary service and leadership from Oct, 2010 to Feb, 2013. During this period, Warren selflessly served as a member of the Board of Trustees, EVP for Corporate Development and Fundraising (Oct, 2010 to Jun, 2012), and CEO (Dec, 2011 to Feb, 2013).

Syria, VA - Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing raised more than $220,000 this year at its flagship fundraising event, the 2-Fly Tournament. The pre-tournament dinner gathered this year's participants, alumni from the Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing program, along with their friends, family, and supporters for a special tented dinner next to the beautiful Rose River, where trout were leaping from the water for their own banquet.

I was first contacted by Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing's (PHWFF) David Folkerts about needing help on a river restoration project in Boonesboro, MD a few weeks ago. The Project was to help plant a few hundred shrubs & trees along the river banks, put a bridge back that had washed away and do some general clean up along the river as well.

A few months ago, the generous folks at Santa Ana River Lakes in Orange County, California, offered to have a fundraiser for Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing on April 6. Craig Elliott and Wes Wright did an amazing job soliciting donations for a huge raffle and silent auction, the proceeds of which went to PHWFF. They also donated 50% of the tournament entry fees. Craig and Wes collected more than $20,000 worth of fishing trips, rods, float tubes, fins, gift certificates, artwork, clothing and loads of other things, including $500 cash for the raffle.

There were ten veterans and ten guides who attended the first PHWFF WV veterans fly fishing retreat. The event was held March 19-21 2013 at the Harman’s trophy fly fishing resort at Cabins, West Virginia.