Project Healing Waters Chair is Finalist for L.L. Bean Outdoor Hero

As you attempt to recover from your July 4th festivities, please take a moment to cast your vote for Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing's Chairman, Douglas Dear for L.L. Bean's Outdoor Hero 2011.

As you may already know, PHWFF is an organization that promotes healing for our wounded warriors through fly fishing. Mr. Dear has been a die hard supporter of this excellent organization for many years.

Douglas Dear was recognized in the nomination for the L.L. Bean Outdoor Heroes Award for his passionate leadership and tireless efforts which brought about significant and sustained program growth in just four years. From the program’s inception at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. to more than 100 programs in 2011, PHWFF volunteers have assisted disabled veterans and recovering soldiers by exposing them to the therapeutic benefits of fly fishing. The number of PHWFF volunteers and participants has increased every year, and, in 2010, some 3,000 disabled veterans and recovering military service members were involved in regularly scheduled classes and fishing outings offered by PHWFF. Through fly fishing instruction, fly tying classes, fly casting lessons, rod building and fly fishing outings, participants learn new skills that help them enjoy the healing properties of the outdoors and lessen the symptoms of their disabilities.

If being a great guy wasn't enough to get your vote, a win for Douglas means a big donation for Project Healing Waters:

A $5,000 donation will be made to the winner’s 501 (c)(3) nonprofit and the individual with the most votes will also receive a $500 L.L. Bean gift card. Douglas stated, “If I am fortunate enough to win the $5,000 for Project Healing Waters, I will donate the $500 to the organization as well.”

Thanks for taking a few minutes out of your day to cast your vote and help a great organization.

Proj. Healing Waters Two Fly Raises $110k for Wounded Warriors

PROJECT HEALING WATERS EVENT SETS RECORD FOR CONTRIBUTIONS,SMILES

SYRIA, VA -- The Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Inc. 2-Fly Tournament (www.phw2fly.blogspot.com) is billed as a competition where those who catch the most feisty rainbow trout win trophies. Yet, SPC. Billy Herrell, who finished way back in the event was all smiles as he made his way around Rose River Farm (www.roseriverfarm.com) where the benefit was held May 2, to raise money to help soldiers and veterans injured during service to their country.

“I caught trout on the fly rod and I had a lot of fun. Who could ask for more?” said Herrell, who must get around with the aid of a walker due to severe back injuries he received while serving in Iraq. Herrell is stationed at the Warriors in Transition Unit at Fort Eustis.

Ed Nicholson, founder, president and chief executive officer for Project Healing Waters, said, “The tournament aspect of the 2-fly is really a pretense to get us all together to have fun and raise money to provide, fly fishing training and outings for even more service members recovering from wounds or injuries.”

If smiles and donations were the goal, the 2-fly was a tremendous success. Everyone who participated caught fish and the event raised more than $110,000, a new record for the 2-Fly, which is in its fourth year.

Thirty two-man teams participated in the fly fishing contest and 15 of those teams paired an active-duty service member or veteran with a more experienced fly angler. Ten teams with corporate sponsors competed in a Pro/Vet category and 20 teams competed in an open category.

The winners of the Pro/et category were:Army Specialist Caleb Huss, of Woodbridge, Va., and guide Eric Stroup, from Spruce Creek, Pa. Army Sergeant First Class Jose Ortiz, of Ft. Belvoir and guide Chris Murphy of Warrenton, Va. Marine Sergeant (ret.) Sean Locker, of Dahlgren, Va., and guide William Heresniak, of Manassas, Va. The largest fish award went to LCPL (ret.) John Gilroy of Salisbury, N.C.

In the open category only two trophies were awarded. The winners were: Jason Baker and Chris Smith, both of Charlotte, N.C. The largest fish award went to Garretson Carter of Alexandria, Va. The event was sponsored by The Orvis Company, Temple Fork Outfitters, Rose River Farm, Dominion, and numerous other companies that donated fishing gear, gift certificates and other items for a raffle.

Project Healing Waters Fly fishing, Inc. (www.projecthealingwaters.org) is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and veterans through fly fishing and fly tying education and outings. Project Healing Waters was founded in 2005 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and is a registered 501c3, non-profit organization. PHWFFI currently has 86 programs in 70 Veteran’s hospitals and 16 military facilities. The organization’s programs operate in 37 states, Canada and U.S. military facilities in Germany with the assistance of Trout Unlimited Chapters, the Federation of Fly Fishers and independent fly fishing clubs.

Events: Project Healing Waters 2-Fly

Follow this link for more info

Project Healing Waters Online Store

Here is your chance to show your support for one of our favorite organization and get some very cool looking gear at the same time. Visit the Project Healing Waters Online Store and pick up this what is quite possibly the best looking rod tube ever. It comes in Digital Camo with the PHW logo for $44.50. Of course proceeds benefit PHW.

If you don't know about this excellent organization that helps our wounded hero's get back into the swing of things with fly fishing and fly tying, visit their website and read all about them.

Healing Waters: Evergreen Hand Fly Tying

Helping wounded warriors tie flies, the Evergreen Hand was created by Jesse Scott and makes it possible for a fly to be tied using only one hand.

The River Just Knows

Support Project Healing Waters and their Annual 2 fly event.

Project Healing Waters 2 - Fly Tourney

Doug Dear and the fine folks at Rose River Farm are once again making their facility available for an excellent fund raiser that benefits of one of our favorite causes, Project Healing Waters. Project Healing Waters has a great mission:

"Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active duty military personnel and veterans through fly fishing and fly tying education and outings."

Help a good cause and fish what is known as "Western style fly fishing for trophy trout in Virginia"at the same time. What more can you want? Click here to sign up.

**Update** This note came in from Doug via the comments. I thought it deserved being added to our post.

If anyone has any questions they can email me at douglas @ roseriverfarm.com you can also get more info about the tournament at http://phw2fly.blogspot.com/