Wounded veterans, fly fishing
guides, and observers from across the country gathered on the banks of the Rose
River last weekend, Sunday, April 28th, to participate in ProjectHealing Waters’ 7th annual 2-fly tournament, the organization’s
flagship fundraising event. This year
proved most successful, with over $200,000 raised.
Project Healing Waters (PHW) is a
non-profit organization providing physical and spiritual rejuvenation to
veterans wounded in battle through fly fishing, fly tying, casting, and rod
building. Established in 2005 at Walter
Reed Medical Center in Washington D.C. servicing wounded soldiers returning
from Afghanistan and Iraq, PHW has grown to include 150 programs in 46 states,
Canada, and Australia.
The 2-fly, a national-level
event, kicked off on Rose River Farm in Syria, Virginia on Saturday, with bass
and bluegill tournaments in the farm ponds.
A pre-tournament banquet gathered participants, friends, and sponsors
for dinner on the banks of the river, complete with silent auction, live music,
and inspired speaking from MC, Tara Wheeler; PHW President, Ed Nicholson; former
US Navy Commander, Admiral Gregory G. Johnson; and program alumni.
 |
| SGT (retired) Michael Davis, US Army, guides a hefty trout to pro guide Gavin Robinson's awaiting net. Photo by Matt Reilly. |
The following morning, the banks
buzzed again with anticipation and friendly competition. Guides and volunteers met veterans, were
assigned fishing locations, and the “pro-vet” teams got into position for the
morning’s fishing. All rods, reels,
tackle, and gear were provided at no cost to the veterans.
Following the morning’s fishing,
participants returned for a tented buffet lunch, during which, PHW founder Ed
Nicholson presented fly fishing legend, PHW supporter, and WWII veteran of the Battle
of the Bulge, Lefty Kreh, with an award from PHW, thanking him for his service as
a soldier, PHW contributor, and as an outspoken recruiter for the sport of fly
fishing.
After lunch, clouds rolled in as
“pro-vet” teams dispersed to fish the afternoon. Rain was hardly a deterrent.
Throughout the day, special
guests Lefty Kreh and Ed Jaworowski gave casting, knot tying, and fly tying
clinics to participants, despite the weather.
At the conclusion of the
afternoon fishing session, anglers and guides returned to the tent, anxiously
calculating final scores.
Douglas Dear, Rose River Farm
owner and PHW Chairman of the Board, announced the winners, and presented awards
to first, second, and third place teams, as well as anglers with the biggest
and smallest fish.
SPC Andrew Pike and SGT Michael
Davis of Idaho, guided by Rose River guide Brian Wilson and Pennsylvania guide
Gavin Robinson took first place. Pike
also earned big fish for a 19-inch rainbow trout! Smiles were in no shortage at the awards ceremony.
 |
| LCpl Ryan Wightman and pro guide Harold Harsh pose with the 2nd place trophy. Photo by Matt Reilly. |
Many participants were alumni of
the 2-fly. However, many had never
participated—or even fly fished. First
place finishers Pike and Davis had never previously cast a fly rod, yet landed
the most and biggest fish throughout the course of the event, with help from
professional guides.
Program alumni speakers at
Saturday’s dinner highlighted the appeal that draws both anglers and
non-anglers to the program.
US Army (retired) Captain, Eivind
Forseth grew up fishing with his father.
Upon returning from deployment, he remembers being on edge, his
instincts sharpened. “People always
said, ‘you just need to turn it off.’
But we can’t turn it off right away.
I was angry.”
His commander urged him to go
fishing with Captain (Ed) Nicholson, for peace; but Eivind was adamant not to
go. “I didn’t want to fail at
fishing. And I knew I would. It was the only thing I had left.” But when his superior commanded him to fish with Nicholson, he submitted. From his first outing post-war, Eivind
recalls, “the first trout to hit my fly was the hardest thing to hit me since I
was blown up. It hit my soul; and I knew
in that moment: I’m gonna be ok.”
US Army Captain, Andy Roberts told
a slightly different story, and struck listeners with details from his first
year back from war.
“My first year back was the worst
year,” he remembers. He explained how,
coming back from war, the primal fight or flight instinct is at its most
primal. “I remember jumping at the sound
of my wife popping bubble wrap…it was the only time she said she has ever been
afraid of me, truly.”
But above all, Roberts remembers
suffering from a “lost sense of mission and purpose,” which abounds in the
Army. “Project Healing Waters gave me a
mission, a passion,” Roberts concluded reverently, “fly fishing has helped me
unlock my core self, and find myself again.”
If Project Healing Waters
achieved their goal on Sunday, a few dozen veterans left Rose River Farm with
stories similar to Eivind’s and Andy’s, inspired and reassured by healing
waters.
Originally published in the Rural Virginian
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