Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing in North Carolina wrapped up its 10^th year anniversary with a much-anticipated regional conference.  Program Leads and volunteers from all of the state’s ten (10) programs convened at the John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center to review 2017 results, learn about new national initiatives and outline program and regional goals for 2018.

David Folkerts, PHWFF C.O.O. joined the group to discuss the national outlook and outline new participant opportunities that will be available across the country.  He further highlighted an increased focus on volunteer training and a host of other national goals.  North Carolina, housing the fourth largest veteran population in the US and over 170,000 disabled veterans makes the state an important representative for the Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing mission.

Additional presentations were given by Roy Davidson, Program Lead for the Winston Salem Program, and Tom Carpenter, Program Lead for the Fayetteville Program and Director of the Pechmann Center.  Roy’s program has had a top finalist in the PHWFF national rod building competition for almost every year since its inception, and Tom’s Program, PHWFF NC Program of the Year, has developed numerous effective curriculum for volunteer training and participant activities.

“We are fortunate to have such a diverse population of volunteer talent; individuals that truly understand the needs of our disabled veteran participant base”, says Ryan Harman Regional Coordinator for the North Carolina Region. “Combine that with the incredible support we get from the communities that sustain our Programs, donors and invaluable partners such as the State of NC, Gee Foundation and Anderson family and we have a formula that will hopefully produce positive results for years to come”, he concludes.

For more information on PHWFF activities, program locations, and news in the North Carolina Region visit www.projecthealingwaters.org/programs/locations/north-carolina.