NEWS & STORIES
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Begins Multiple Participant Outdoor Healing Gatherings
On April 19, 2021 the organization began multiple participant outdoor healing gatherings for all eligible PHWFF programs Nationwide – enabling a total of 10 volunteers and participants per outdoor healing gathering.
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc (PHWFF) continues taking significant steps in their gradual process to resume specific outdoor in-person core program activities. Their process includes appropriate protocols designed to reduce the risk of transmission and infection of COVID-19 between the organization’s volunteers, participants, and staff. On April 19, 2021, the organization began multiple participant outdoor healing gatherings for all eligible PHWFF programs Nationwide – enabling a total of 10 volunteers and participants per outdoor healing gathering.
On March 13, 2020, PHWFF suspended in-person program activities and quickly pivoted to virtual programming to prevent further COVID-19 spread in the communities they serve and to protect the health and well-being of their volunteers and participants.
The Engagement Plan represents the culmination of 8 months of effort by a working group composed of the organization’s volunteer leaders, headquarters staff, legal counsel, and insurance provider. PHWFF continues to make each decision using current healthcare industry data with participant, volunteer, staff, and community risk management and well-being remaining as their top priority – while they comply with local, state, and federal guidance and restrictions.
PHWFF has already achieved significant milestones in their Engagement Plan. PHWFF launched limited in-person outdoor program activities on March 13, 2021 with a test group of 12 programs, and following this successful test group, quickly expanded on April 1, 2021 to encompass all PHWFF programs nationwide. The organization has now successfully progressed to implement Multiple Participant Outdoor Healing Gatherings around the nation.
The organization acknowledges that the COVID-19 pandemic is a fluid, evolving situation. As the situation further develops, PHWFF will make assessments regarding future in-person meetings, activities, events, and outings and advance from phase to phase as outlined in their comprehensive Engagement Plan. PHWFF will make each decision using current healthcare industry data with participant, volunteer, staff, and community risk management and well-being remaining as their top priority – while they comply with local, state, and federal guidance and restrictions.
“Our programs provide physical and emotional recovery, encourage engagement, and create a community where our participants can heal, says Todd Desgrosseilliers, the organization’s President & Chief Executive Officer. Throughout this pandemic the dedication and commitment of our thousands of volunteers has ensured that we continued to hear these five words from disabled veterans across our Nation: ‘This program saved my life.’”