Always a Time to Help Out

[WWKimba]

With the holiday season just passed so comes the requests for giving. Here is a quick reminder about how we, as fly tyers, fishers and teachers can help out. There are many nonprofit/not for profit organizations that use fly fishing/fly tying/rod building as part of their recovery and support programs. I have donated flies for the past few years to Casting for Recovery and Project Healing Waters. Last year I tied 250 flies to match the 250 extras that I had accumulated from my various fly swaps for a 500 fly donation to the Casting for Recovery program (I'm retired and like to keep busy!).

Here are but a few of the programs that are looking for donations and volunteers to help support their programs. You can Google for others (try "fishing flies donation", "nonprofit organizations using fly fishing(or tying)"):

Casting for Recovery
https://castingforrecovery.org/retreats/

Project Healing Waters
https://projecthealingwaters.org/volunteer/  <--then go to SEARCH and type in your state to find the program in your area

Reel Recovery 
https://reelrecovery.org/

Flyin' Heroes
https://flyinheroes.org/
 

The Mayfly Project
https://themayflyproject.com/get-involved/

Fishing Has No Boundaries
https://fhnbinc.org/about-us/

Take a Vet Fishing
https://www.takeavetfishing.org/

Warriors and Quiet Waters
https://warriorsandquietwaters.org/about-us/our-impact

Tie A Thon
https://warriorsandquietwaters.org/about-us/our-impact

These are but a few of the groups out there that can use the skills we as fly fishers, fly tyers, rod builders and teachers can provide. Most have sites located across the nation and some are more local/regional. See if there is one that perks your interest, contact them, and HELP OUT! I have been a volunteer or been in charge of volunteers for most of my life and I can say that it 1) enriches your life and 2) you get to meet some other great people! And helping out can be as easy as tying a dozen flies!

Hope this is informative to you all and please, you and your families have a happy holiday season and may the new year bring you new blessings!

Kim

[WWKimba]

These last 2 years I've been working to support the Casting for Recovery.  My SIL is going through her second bout with breast cancer this year and my Dad (and his brother) died of pancreatic and liver cancers, so I'm thinking of seeing if I can do some tying for the Reel Recovery program as well.  Last year I sent 500 flies for CFR's general retreats (250 flies from my swaps extras boxes and 250 that I always tie on a 1:1 matching basis).  This year I'm concentrating on their Metastatic (Stage IV) Retreats.  I figure I should be able to tie up about 15-20 patterns in sets of 15 flies each for each of the six sites.  Their retreats are set up for a maximum of 12 women each.

I hope that the members will take advantage of these opportunities and if you decide to tie for CFR tell them Kim sent you!  I don't get any extra credit for any referrals but I just like to give them headaches!

Kim