PHW Turns Three Years Old at NCC-TU Show

February 24, 2007

While the National Capital Chapter of TU was holding its 32nd Annual National Capital Angling Show in a new venue, Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing began its third year of teaching fly fishing and tying to the wounded soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen from Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

A booth near the entrance to the show gave PHW a chance to inform many of the show-goers about its programs with a display of pictures and newspaper and magazine articles about fishing trips and other activities around the nation. A large poster of SFC Diane Cochran and her statement of how fly fishing has helped the rehabilitation from her wounds told what many of the wounded experienced through PHW. A continuously running PowerPoint slide show presented pictures of PHW’s programs.

While Russell Martin, Diane Cochran, Bill Johnston, and John Colburn manned the booth much of the time, PHW President Ed Nicholson, Project Coordinator Eivind Forseth, Ed Felker, Doug Matty, Bob Urban, Chris Dishman, Ed Harper, Dale Hartman, Jim Scheld, Craig Smith, and other PHW volunteers circulated throughout the show talking about PHW and its programs with vendors and attendees and making valuable contacts with potential supporters of PHW. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped at the National Capital Angling Show.

Oh yes, all of them and more than a dozen WRAMC patients enjoyed the many exhibits, seminars, and classes too. Even the outdoor fly casting class was well attended despite the wind and the cold.

Special thanks go to Alfredo Suescum and George Gaines for inviting PHW to attend the show and for all the support NCC-TU has given in from the start of PHW.

Even though Project Healing Waters is expanding across the country, Walter Reed Army Medical Center is still our home, and the National Capital Angling Show is the “birthplace” of PHW and the springboard for the third year of fly fishing with wounded warriors from WRAMC.

John Colburn