Sylvia Bach, Rocky Mountain Northwest Regional Coordinator and Coeur d’Alene Program Lead, shares a great update about the first meeting of the newly formed PHWFF Program in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

The first class of the new Coeur d’Alene program went well yesterday! Wendy of the Coeur d’Alene CBOC was incredibly helpful in getting things set up and for referring two of the participants and one new volunteer. She is a great promoter of what we are doing!

Below are some photos. 3 of the 5 participants attended, as well as 5 volunteers and me! Mark Vehr, Past President of North Idaho Fly Casters and volunteer, took the photos for us. Bob Clark, the VP of North Idaho Fly Casters and our volunteer did a demo on the tools. It was great, and still lots of room for improvement. I will strive to make it smoother each time. When we grow to more than 7-10 participants we will have to find a larger space.  Castaway Fly Shop donated some supplies for our first couple of classes, and the Spokane Program shared materials and loaned us vises until ours arrive. We are grateful! PHWFF is so well received here.

A participant who had previously been attending the Spokane Program when possible and due to the health of his wife he had to stop commuting to Spokane. Here was his response after the first class:  “Thank you for pressing on and trusting the Lord to bring PHWFF to CDA.  What a great sponsor and so many experienced local fly fishers to help.  It is awkward for me to be in a closed setting with a room full of strangers….but you being there was a great blessing.  I will do my “homework” and I’m looking forward to being outdoors with my neighbors. God bless you and thank you again for helping to make this happen.”

I’m having fun. Thank you for the privilege of giving back in this way.