Hot Times in the Summer Sun

Colorado fly fishing did not prepare me for Salt Water fly fishing. It's way more fun here! So if you know some one who is a wade fisher in Tampa Bay that wouldn't mind helping us learn the sport and fishing with us at MacDill AFB, have him/her to contact us 720-878-5842. 

Summers is in full force. The waters are warm and wade fishing in Tampa Bay is a blast. Unfortunately, many of our program's participants flew north. How sad when the fly fishing is getting better and better!

I am asking you; Tampa's fellow PHWFF people to help us by referring veterans and volunteers or leads you know in the Tampa Bay area who would like to learn fly fishing. 

We'll do the inviting and greeting just send us their contact info. We'll, take them out fishing, teach them how to tie a Deceiver (thanks Lefty)!  They can check us out without us arm-wrestling them, I promise.

Take a look:  @deebeebrooks or on www.phwff.org 
Email me:  deebeebrooks@live.com, text or call 720-878-5842

Let's go fishing!!!

Deb Brooks

PS Our rod building class is going GREAT.

Danny listening attentively; cause military people like doing it right!

 Learning the concept of 180 and  90 degree thread wrap from Tampa's 1st Place winner of the 2014 PHWFF Rod Building Contest.

Look at this butt wrap! Awesome design!

From https://m.facebook.com/manateecountyveteranscouncil

Manatee County Veterans' Council

May 31, 2014

MCVC VOLUNTEERS ASSIST 

PROJECT HEALING WATERS

A special Armed Forces day holiday of fishing and camaraderie were provided to 38 area veterans Saturday, May 27th, by members of the local chapter of Project Healing Waters on the Manatee River. The day-long activity originated at Palmetto's Bradenton Yacht Club, said Regional Coordinator, Laurence Lurie.

Press Release - Bradenton Honors Event on Armed Forces Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

April 20, 2014  

HONORING OUR NATION’S DISABLED VETERANS ON ARMED FORCES DAY

Join us on May 17 in Palmetto, Florida, on Armed Forces Day in support of the Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing fourth annual outing to honor disabled veterans in our region and the Veterans Administration hospitals who serve them.

Three local organizations -- Project Healing Waters, the Bradenton Yacht Club, and the Crosthwait Memorial Fishing Tournament -- will team to honor our nation’s disabled veterans on Armed Forces Day 2014. You are invited to join us in person or in heart.

Daytona PHW Local Fishing Outings

Mid Coast Fly Fishers are now offering local Project Healing Waters  fishing outings on the Mosquito Lagoon  for veterans from  the Daytona Wellness Recovery Center.

Besides regular workshops  for fly casting and fly tying at the VA and  luncheons  at nearby parks, our volunteers are providing boats and guide services for the some of the vets. This further expands the opportunities beyond class room activities and gets the vets out on the water.

Since the fishing is local we can avoid the expense of travel and lodging while still providing a low cost fishing outing with little planning.

This photo shows a vet with one of several fish caught. It always brings a smile to their face.

Bill Craig
PL PHW Daytona
Mid Coast Fly Fishers

Disabled vets partake in MacDill's healing waters

Posted 4/17/2014 Updated 4/17/2014 Email story Print story Share by Staff Sgt. Brandon Shapiro 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs 4/17/2014 - MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- As a way to give back to the community, and serve disabled veterans and resilience seeking active duty military members, a mind/body initiative was created--Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing. "Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of veterans," stated Deborah Brooks, PHWFF Tampa project lead. "We accomplish this through fly fishing and associated activities, including education and outings." Although PHWFF is a nationwide organization, a newly founded Tampa chapter has been steadily rehabilitating our nation's heroes one cast at a time since their inception on Jan. 8, 2014. The all-volunteer staff at PHWFF Tampa is collectively comprised of active duty military members from MacDill Air Force Base, and Korean, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom war veterans. "Being in the military we have a profound understanding of the hardships that our veterans face," commented Air Force Staff Sgt. Chad Kimmell, PHWFF volunteer. "From post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, to traumatic brain injuries and other psychological issues, we simply focus our rehabilitative efforts through the love of fly fishing." The group's most recent outing took place at MacDill's Lewis Lake, where volunteers aided participants as they honed their newfound casting skills and dipped their freshly tied flies. Events like these are the backbone of the program; they give individuals the confidence to get out of their comfort zones and meet new people. With this, they are able to condition their mental and physical ailments in an environment that is relaxing and easy to enjoy from nearly anywhere. "Project Healing Waters is such an inspiration," said Stan Green, a Navy Vietnam-era veteran and PHWFF participant. "Growing up on a small dairy farm in New York I developed a passion for the outdoors. Through this program I am able to indulge my interests, meet new people and try new things." Not only do the participants benefit from the program, the volunteer staff continually reiterates the fact that there is an inherent sense of delight. "Each and every veteran that we help brings us a great deal of joy," said Kimmell. "It's an overwhelming feeling of pride to get to know these heroes, all while helping them cope with their issues--there's no better feeling." --- Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing meets every Wednesday night from 6-8 p.m. at the American Legion Post #5, 3810 W. Kennedy, Tampa, FL 33608. The no-cost program consists of rotational fly tying, casting and rod building classes. For further information please contact the Tampa program lead, Deborah Brooks at (720) 878-5842 or by email at admin@projecthealingwaterstampa.org

Thank You For Your Service (A Moment of Truth), a short video worth watching. Click to view. 

New Deep South program -- The Villages

Please join me in welcoming a new Program in The Villages, FL.  Many thanks going out to RC Larry Lurie for the hard work in bringing the The Villages Outpatient VA facility together with the Tri County Fly Fishers in recruiting and serving new participants. 

The Project Lead, Larry Nazzaro, made all the arrangements with the Villages VA outpatient facility and was instrumental in getting the program started.

Great work out in the field!  

Ellen Killough

Chief Executive Officer

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc.

www.projecthealingwaters.org

Homefront: Fishing lure project helps ease PTSD symptoms

Pensacola veterans suffering from PTSD find relief in learning to make artificial fishing lures

Pensacola News Journal

Published Mar 15, 2014, pnj.com. Written by Rob Johnson

Click here for full story and video

PTSD Fly Tying Therapy: Sufferers of 
post-traumatic stress disorder in 
Pensacola are finding a novel therapy 
in tying fishing lures.

While tying the tiny, colorful creations that mimic fish-attracting insects might seem tedious to the uninitiated, Bauknecht and others find a welcome escape in the activity that is an innovative part of PTSD group meetings at the Department of Veterans Affairs Joint Ambulatory Care Center.

“It gives you a chance to focus on something besides other thoughts. You have to concentrate. It takes skill and patience,” said Bauknecht, 64, “And I had trouble with patience.”

Bradenton Honors event on Armed Forces Day

Our fourth Deep South Regional saltwater event is planned for Armed Forces Day, May 17, 2014, at the Bradenton Yacht Club in Palmetto FL - combining participation of local military and social groups to honor all veterans.

The event will combine three elements: 30 boats taking our warriors fishing, two day silent auction fundraiser, and a PHWFF public presentation honoring our community veterans.

Email from: Laurence Lurie phwff,Lurie@gmail.com
To: Deep South Program Leads
Date: Wed, Feb 26, 2014 at 10:07 AM
Subject: Project Healing Waters Deep South - opportunities

Hello Deep South Program Leads,  Let me personally thank you for the help you are giving to our veterans.  I do not need to say again how important this is. As a reminder to all of us, I will repeat our mission -- the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled veterans through fly tying education, casting classes, rod building instruction, and fishing outings. National PHWFF has approved our 2014 Program budgets. Now we can get started working together to provide more support for and expanding our programs!

This site under construction

We are beginning here a meeting place for friends of the Deep South Region of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing.

A web meeting place where our volunteers, program participants, supporters, and friends across Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi can engage in sharing and conversation.

Our focus -- our mission -- is helping wounded soldiers to regain their footing, to heal, and to return to a normal life.

There are many hospitals and veterans homes across the Deep South where wounded still in the service are receiving treatment in military hospitals, and where those who have been discharged are receiving (or waiting to receive) treatment in  Veterans Administration hospitals.

We feel an obligation to assist in bringing healing to those who have served our country.  We find we can contribute best to this healing by sharing with veterans our love of fly fishing, and from this provide related activities the veterans can enjoy and benefit from.

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. is a national nonprofit organization that had its start in 2005 at Walter Reed Hospital, and today is assisting wounded military and veterans through programs in some 148 locations in 48 states. 

We invite you to visit our national web site:  www.projecthealingwaters.org

Larry Lurie
Coordinator, Deep South Region
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing
Email: phwff.lurie@gmail.com