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Support the Recovery of Disabled Veterans by Shopping at Feather-Craft Fly Fishing Shop on Saturday, November 3, 2018

October 22, 2018

For Immediate Release
Area Contact for PHWFF Healing Saturday Event: Amy Milne
Amy.Milne@projecthealingwaters.org

 

October 20th, 2018 – Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc is pleased to announce that programs in its Heartland Region will be hosting a daylong event on Saturday, November 3rd, 2018  to raise funds and awareness of their programs and the disabled veterans and wounded active military they serve.  This special day, dubbed “Healing Saturday,” will take place at Feather Craft Fly Fishing in St. Louis, MO in cooperation with the local volunteer-run PHWFF programs.  The St. Louis, MO programs meet a minimum of 1 time per month, supporting veterans on their journey to physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

Feather Craft Fly Fishingis located at 8307 Manchester Rd, St. Louis, MO 63144 and is the host site of the St. Louis Healing Saturday for Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing.  The event run from  10am – 4pm with raffles, auction items, music, and BBQ, as well as demonstrations on fly casting and fly tying by area veterans and pros.  Funds raised from this event stay in the area providing much needed equipment, materials and outings for our disabled veterans and active wounded military.

Captain Bob Catlett from the Glendale PD will be starting off with the National Anthem, The World Bird Sanctuary will be visiting with McGwire, their resident Bald Eagle from 10am-1pm. Missouri Department of Conservation Hatchery Manager Ben Havens will be a guest answering questions on our hatcheries, aquatics and adaptive equipment.  Jessica Tutt, a Volunteer and Entomologist will be on hand with displays of water insects and answering questions.  Various guests will be demonstrating our adaptive equipment, casting and tying demos along with featured displays.  Donated BBQ for guests to enjoy and entertainment from Linda Lipka of Soundsational DJs.

Proceeds support our local area St. Louis and Illinois Veterans!   Feather-Craft generously donates 10% of their sales on Healing Saturday to Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing.   Please join Healing Saturday and show your support for our disabled Veterans.  If you are not able to attend, consider donations through the website at www.projecthealingwaters.org/donate

PHWFF is unique in that volunteers are teaching classes on an on-going, long term basis. It is much more than a one day fishing trip. Program activities include fly fishing instruction, fly tying classes, fly casting workshops, rod building and fly fishing outings. Last year alone, PHWFF served over 8500 veteran participants at their 200+ programs nationwide.  For Program information, please contact Amy.Milne@projecthealingwaters.org

Support your local fly shop this November 3rd and give back to those men and women who have made great sacrifices in the service of our nation.

 

The St Louis program spreading the PHWFF experience

June 27, 2018

The St Louis program spreading the PHWFF experience – Recent Free Veterans Fishing Day at Maramec Spring Trout Park in St James Missouri.  This is part two of three Veterans Free Fishing Days that we have partnered with Missouri Department of Conservation.  The format allows us to talk with Veterans and families about the healing of PHWFF.
MDC provides the trac chairs allowing us to focus on the adaptive equipment available for Disabled Veterans.  We instruct on the Evergreen hand, strong arm and the self retrieving reels.  Our Program leads for the area are available to talk with Participants about the class times, location sites and welcome them to come check out the Program.
Volunteers assisted with instruction on casting, fly tying and netting on the water along with providing program information to guests.
​St James Veteran’s Home transported 7 Veterans who were able to enjoy a few hours of fishing too!   Lunch was provided by The Daughters of The American Revolution for all guests to enjoy.
Over 150 Veteran tags were handed out throughout the day.  Remarkable site to see all of the specific tags in the park.  Family members received a special red, white and blue deer hair pin to wear with their tag.
The day was rounded out with the Mad Fly Challenge (a mystery bag timed fly tying contest) and produced one winner advancing the The Healing Saturday in St Louis.

Few photos from the day:

Next stop, Montauk State Park on September 8th, 2018.

Veterans enjoy a remarkable day of angling at Westover Farms

June 27, 2018

Westover Farms in Steelville Missouri offers a private, secluded setting for Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing participants and Volunteers to bond.  The stream rambles through acres of pastures with on site hatchery, lodging and store.  The setting is beautiful, peaceful complete with healthy rainbow trout.

Wednesday, June 20th, The St Louis VAMC program volunteers and participant s headed to Steelville for a day of fishing.  Time to put those casting lessons and new flies to the test.

The trip was planned for 25 additional VA participants to join however, bus breakdowns curtailed those plans.  The intimate setting with only 16 participants and volunteers provided to be a remarkable day of practice, laughs and some lunkers to hand.  Trout candy proved to be the most effective fly but success was found with a large variety.  Despite the rising temps, fish cooperated until the last group packed up to head home.  Great day, laughs and whoops could be heard through out the property.  All found solace in the treasured time together, success on our own creations of flies and rods, casting challenges through the property with back bushes, low hanging trees.  For just a day, all time stopped.  This is the healing we talk about – as I go through the camera roll, smile after smile from participants and volunteers a like.

Several of us used sick days so that we could join in this outing and it was sure worth it.   Thank you to Lisa and Tom at Westover Farms

Subway for our lunches.   Looking forward to September when we have a chance to immerse ourselves in this gem of a place again!