Greetings to all,

I am pleased to report that Project Healing Waters ran a very successful Kickoff Day on Saturday March 24th at the Brockton Campus VA facility in Brockton, MA. I estimated that we had approximately 35 veterans and volunteers attending the program. Ralph Marche, Chief of Voluntary Services and Eileen Jones, Supervisor of Recreation Therapy along with their staff did a great job of getting the word out to the Boston area VA community. The gymnasium facility at Brockton was a great venue to hold the kickoff as we were able to instruct casting indoors.

The Brockton Kickoff was attended by Eiviend Forseth PHW Project Coordinator, nine volunteers from the Federation of Fly Fishers including Bob Bowes FFF Certified Casting instructor assisted by Tom Faye and our tying instructors, Jared Tausig, Bruce Bumpus, Rick Weden, Harry Graff. Steve Murphy, Todd Surrette, Larry Castagnetto, represented New England Saltwater Fly Rodders.

Plans are now being made for ongoing Fly Tying classes, at the Brockton Campus and The New England Fly Rodders are planning some junkets out on the water. We are also collecting fly fishing and fly tying books and tapes to start a fly fishing library. The Brockton Campus is unique in that it has a bass pond on the grounds with wheelchair access. The pond needs a little work; the cleanup project will be completed by members of the Northeastern Council of FFF.

Richard Diamond
Framingham, MA