Article by Jim Kissane

Fly fishers in the Kansas City Area will celebrate Healing Saturday, an all-day fly fishing festival to benefit the Greater Kansas City Program of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, on Saturday, Nov. 2. The event will be hosted by K&K Fly Fishers of Overland Park, KS, at their store at 8643 Grant St.

Over the past several years, Healing Saturday has grown into a national event, with participation at fly shops, retail stores and community centers throughout the country. The event helps raise funds and awareness for local Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Programs.

Most of those programs will observe Healing Saturday on Sept. 28. Programs in St. Louis and Greater Kansas City have traditionally observed Healing Saturday on the first weekend in November, following the close of the fishing season at Missouri’s Trout Parks.

Healing Saturday at K&K is worth the wait. Owners Kevin and Kathy Kurtz and their staff will be on hand to conduct casting clinics; vendors and factory reps will be there to discuss and demonstrate their latest products; there will be raffles and a silent auction. Donated items include items hand-crafted by our Veteran participants, including paintings and woodworking pieces.

A favorite highlight each year is the newest deer-hair creation of world-renowned fly tyer Mike George. Mike, himself an Air Force Veteran, always dedicates a new pattern to the Healing Saturday event. The fly will be one of the items up for silent auction.

Proceeds from the day’s activities will be donated to our Greater Kansas City Program. It is our largest fund-raising effort of the year, helping us finance activities such as an overnight trip to Rockbridge Trout Resort, outings to Bennett Spring State Park, and the growth of our program.

Activities will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2, and will continue through the afternoon. Lunch will be available. For more information, contact K&K Fly Fishers at 913-341-8118 or visit www.kkflyfisher.com.

The staff at K&K Fly Fishers will host the annual Healing Saturday event at their store in Overland Park, KS, on Nov. 2. Activities will include casting and fly tying clinics, vendor demonstrations, raffles and a silent auction. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Greater Kansas City Program of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing.

World-renowned fly tyer Mike George displays some of his deer hair creations. Mike has won numerous awards for his flies, including nine gold medals in the Mustad Scandinavian Open Fly Tying Competition. An Air Force Veteran, Mike will be participating in Healing Saturday activities at K&K Fly Fishers in Overland Park, KS, on Nov. 2. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Greater Kansas City Program of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing.