NEWS & STORIES
John and Suzanne Fall recognized for their Extraordinary Service
Project Healing Water Fly Fishing (PHWFF) takes great pleasure in presenting the Patriot Award to John and Suzanne Fall for their exceptional support and dedication to its Cause from 2014 to 2021.During this period, John and Suzanne made supporting our nation’s disabled veterans and disabled active military service personnel a family affair through their creation, leadership, and involvement in several events.
Since 2014, both Suzanne and John supported our Cause as volunteers at the annual Mossy Creek Invitational (MCI). John served the MCI event as a stream monitor – assisting the PHWFF participants as they competed in the fly fishing tournament while Suzanne provided administrative and logistical support to the event – ensuring the hundreds of guests and volunteers enjoyed the friendship and camaraderie that is a hallmark of any PHWFF activity, outing, or event. Their dedication and commitment helped ensure MCI’s overall success for many years.
In 2014, John and Suzanne created, organized, and began hosting the Legends of the Fly (LOF) Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Virginia Beach. From 2014 to 2017, Suzanne and John worked tirelessly with their children – Davis, Harrison, and Sydney -along with many other volunteers to lead, plan, and execute several very successful Legends of the Fly events. The inaugural event included the movie “BloodKnot” filmed by the owners of Virginia’s Mossy Creek Fly Fishing, Inc. – raising over $7,500.00 for PHWFF in the first year alone.
In 2016, John and Suzanne expanded LOF into an annual, saltwater, fly fishing only, “slam” tournament. The tournament raised $2,700.00 for PHWFF during this inaugural event. Additionally, the day after the tournament, PHWFF and LOF Volunteers participated in a river clean-up – removing over 600 pounds of trash and floatable debris from the nearby Lynnhaven River. The LOF tournament continued in this format through 2019. Notably, in 2017, PHWFF Participants and Volunteers won the Striper Division and in 2018 a PHWFF Team won the entire tournament. From 2016 to 2019, the combined funds raised for PHWFF through the LOF tournaments totaled more than $24,600.00.
All who know John and Suzanne Fall hold them in the highest regard and speak of them with utmost respect. Therefore, let us not only measure the magnitude of their contribution to the greater good in their generous philanthropy but also in the positive post-traumatic growth that they provided to all who know them. Their extraordinary leadership and generosity touched the lives of those central to the PHWFF mission across the country and it helped create a better future vision for us all. In their stellar example of selfless service, volunteerism, humility, and benevolence lies the inspiration that speaks volumes to our core values: Compassion, Accountability, Excellence, and Community.
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. is proud to bestow on John and Suzanne Fall the Patriot Award for their tireless and extraordinary service to our Cause and to those disabled veterans and disabled active duty military personnel whom this organization proudly serves.
