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How a fishing trip changed my life
May 30, 2019
Years ago, Dad and I were asked to attend a fly-fishing tournament benefiting Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing. We didn’t know much about the organization but were enthusiastic about an event that combined supporting disabled veterans and fly-fishing. By the end of our first Mossy Creek Invitational, we knew that our lives were changed. I want to invite you to join our family and give back to those who have given so much for you.
I’m Elizabeth Rivers, an attorney in Charlotte, North Carolina. I grew up bass fishing and began fly-fishing when I was in high school. I fell in love with fly-fishing from the very first moment. My dad and I have a competition every time we go fly fishing together – one point for the biggest fish, one point for the first fish, and one point for the most fish. The winner gets a trout clock that has mostly stayed with me over the years. After completing my undergrad at Furman and law school in Miami, I passed the bar exam and, to celebrate, I took a float trip with Dad in the mountains. We caught over 250 trout in one day! It was the best way to get back in the saddle and I now try to fish as often as I can. The rest of the time, I am busy as a transactional attorney and spending time with my family and three pups.
When Dad and I were asked to attend a fly-fishing tournament benefiting Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing we didn’t know much about the organization, but we were enthusiastic about an event that combined supporting disabled veterans and fly-fishing. By the end of our first Mossy Creek Invitational, we knew that our lives were changed. When I first met the disabled veteran I would be fishing with that day, I was nervous. Law school meant that I hadn’t been fishing in months and I didn’t want to let my partner down or accidentally hook her in the arm. To my relief, the day quickly became about so much more than fishing. We danced, we laughed and we talked about everything from dogs to daily struggles. Each cast was celebrated and we tried our best to sweet-talk the trout out of the water. She caught the biggest fish she had ever caught that day. But it wasn’t just the trout that helped us win the tournament – it was the cement of a friendship that continues to this day.
Over the years, my Dad and I have had the honor to fish with some of the best men and women in our Nation. Over and over we hear that those who have given so much to serve our Nation were in the darkest of places when someone called and asked if they’d like to go fly fishing. Over and over we hear “Project Healing Waters saved my life.”
And it has changed my life. I now serve on the Board of Trustees of Project Healing Waters to ensure that this incredible organization continues to thrive so that the volunteers can continue building relationships, helping to untie life’s knots, and to joyfully celebrate each victory of our disabled veteran participants on their journey of healing.
Project Healing Waters is powerful on two fronts – the therapeutic power of fly-fishing and the healing power of friendship. Both depend on the generosity of people like you with their time and resources. As we continue to walk beside our disabled veterans and active duty personnel, I want to invite you to join our family and give back to those who have given so much for you.
Click here to learn more about Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing
About the author:
Elizabeth Trenary is a business law associate at Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein in Charlotte, North Carolina. She provides corporate counseling and advises public and private entities regarding all aspects of corporate and securities transactions, including mergers, asset purchases, stock purchases, securities offerings, debt issuances, and governance issues. Her clients include domestic and multinational clients in a variety of industries, including advanced manufacturing, banking, energy, technology, automotive, hospitality, and education. Elizabeth is also active in the developing field of vehicle telematics. She is admitted to practice in all courts of general jurisdiction in North Carolina and the U.S. District Court of the Western District of North Carolina. Prior to joining Parker Poe, Elizabeth was a judicial intern for the Supreme Court of North Carolina for Associate Justice Barbara Jackson and an intern to United States Senator Richard Burr. She was also a member of the United States delegation to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Yokohama, Japan. Elizabeth is a graduate of Furman University, where she was actively involved in Delta Gamma. She served as the Commencement Speaker for the Class of 2011. Following, she received her Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law, where she served foster children in the Children and Youth Clinic and wrote extensively on veteran affairs. Elizabeth previously developed several community projects, including Eye Love Art, which promoted the work of young, blind artists. She is also involved in several local and national non-profit organizations including United Way and Camp Corral. She serves as a pro-bono guardian ad litem attorney for foster children across the state of North Carolina. Elizabeth has been involved with Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing for several years and was the winner of the 2013 Mossy Creek Invitational with her teammate and PHWFF Participant, Jessica Callihan.
You can contact Elizabeth at Elizabeth.trenary@