Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing was honored to partner with the Ocean Conservancy and the Lower Keys Guide Association to celebrate our Veterans, Florida and the Ocean.
“The ability to be with others with similar struggles, to be able to enjoy each other’s company and genuinely laugh with one another is a spectacular gift, and participating in this event was a great adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed the cleanup and look forward to participating again as well as in other events with Ocean Conservancy in the future!” – Becky Fortin, U.S. Army Veteran
As part Ocean Conservancy’s work as Ocean Partner for the Miami Super Bowl Host Committee, we were excited to partner with them and the Lower Keys Guides Association to celebrate the Florida Keys, its fishing culture and the unique marine environment that make the Keys so special. It was a fun-filled weekend that included fishing, comradery and giving back to the Florida Keys community by leaving it a little cleaner than when we found it.
“Ocean Conservancy proudly sponsored the annual Lower Keys Guides Association’s Sugarloaf Showdown, a fishing tournament that draws anglers from all over the country every year. Our sponsorship helped the tournament go single-use plastic-free for the very first time. It also allowed our organization the honor of providing world-class fishing opportunities for members of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing. Following the tournament, Ocean Conservancy hosted a remote clean-up in the waters and on the islands surrounding Key West. Together, we collected more than 4,000 pounds of trash in just a few short hours.” – Jeff Barger, Associate Director of Outreach – The Ocean Conservancy
Read more about the event: Together for Our Nation and Our Ocean
By learning the sport of fly fishing, disabled veterans immerse themselves in environmental education and stewardship of oceans, rivers and streams. Their exposure to and involvement with Ocean Conservancy’s educational work will play a key role in their development as anglers while simultaneously furthering their journey to recovery.