Giving Back

Carole Katz, National Trustee
18 April 2008

The 30 volunteers involved in Project Healing Waters at the Long Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Center will tell you how rewarding this project has been for all of us.  In order to participate over the last year, some of the volunteers had to schedule a day or part of a day off work, and some had to drive sizeable distances.  But week after week, month after month, they were there, not everyone at every session, but always more than enough.  We taught two series of fly tying classes and two series of casting classes.  We had a day of casting on water at the casting club last fall that was really enjoyable for everyone.  And, finally, we went fishing on April 18.

Chuck Moore and another Forest Service representative escorted us into the West Fork of the San Gabriel River.  We had three handicapped ramp areas to ourselves.  Nine disabled veterans and two VA staff members participated.  Some caught fish, while some just had takes, using a variety of different rigs, both wet and dry.  Under Jeff Sadler’s tutelage, the star of the day netted five and lost another two.  Casting skills were really impressive by the end of the day.  The vets and the volunteers were grinning like Cheshire cats.  We enjoyed lunch and birthday cake in the picnic area with perfect weather. 

They thanked us – and then thanked us some more.  We didn’t know what to expect when we started PHW a year ago, particularly because we were working with veterans with psychiatric disorders.  Those smiles and all the thank you’s said it all.  Giving back, sharing a little of ourselves with those less fortunate, those who have served our country, has been so meaningful.  It was a great day.