Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing is devoted to the physical and emotional recovery of disabled active service personnel and disabled veterans through fly fishing.
The program was founded as a non-profit in 2005 in Maryland.
Project Healing Waters started assisting at Walter Reed Army Medical Center where military service members wounded in combat returned from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Founder and president Officer Ed Nicholson of U.S. Navy said, “Fly fishing is a body, mind and soul therapeutic type of healing, we get to experience an incredible sport that millions of individuals participate in across the world. We use it as a vehicle in which healing occurs when individuals meet and become friends, we are all about relationships.”
Image provided by Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing
The program offers fundamental fly fishing, fly casting, fly tying and rod building classes, along with clinics participants ranging from beginners, to those with prior knowledge and experience. All equipment is provided free of charge to participants.
Colonel William J. Howard III said, “Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing is a bridge that helps people get back into a social environment where the main focus is to catch fish with similar individuals that also enjoy being surrounded by the beauties of nature.”
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be a massive setback for soldiers returning from battle. The peaceful hobby of fly fishing has proven to help cope with the symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
The group’s COO, Captain David Folkerts of U.S. Army, said, “I personally went through PTSD and a huge part of recovering is getting outside where you are surrounded by nature and making connections with your friends, the best way to cope with PTSD is to be motivated by something that replaces your negative thoughts.”
Image provided by Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing.
As many as 50 percent of individuals with PTSD do not obtain treatment. A recent analysis uncovered that U.S. veteran suicide rates stand as high as 8,000 a year. Project Healing Waters offers an alternative to medications prescribed by the VA.
Since 2005, Project Healing Waters has established over 200 highly effective programs in Department of Defense hospitals, Warrior Transition Units and Veterans Affairs Medical Centers and clinics.
Ed Nicholson also said, “When you’re out on the water it’s hard to be focused on anything else when the beauty of nature replaces all of that negative energy with peace. The beauty of a rainbow trout, the clear water, and being with great friends is what it’s all about.”
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing supported 7,424 injured and disabled military service personnel and disabled veterans, in 2015 alone. 3,516 Program Volunteers dedicated more than 200,000 hours of service by offering 3,460 Fly Tying Classes, 944 Rod Building Classes, 1082 Casting classes, and 1,316 fishing outings, all in the past year.