By Andrew Frutiger
It’s been just over a year since we started the Frederick Program of Project Healing Waters and what an incredible year it has been. We started with just one participant, Demi, at our very first open house — then grew to more than a dozen this past summer, something very few new chapters are able to achieve.
I personally believe it is due to the great folks that we have the privilege of serving, their openness combined with their willingness to jump in and help each other has made all of the difference. Whether a seasoned fly fisherman or new to the sport, veterans are made to feel right at home from the minute they walk in the door.
In addition to building a community, the participants have been able to experience a variety of activities from fly tying and rod building, to the Lancaster Fly Show and outings across the Mid-Atlantic. One event in particular, the trip to Leetown, stands out among the favorites. It was a small trip, just the Frederick Program and Volunteers, but you would have thought it was the Ravens after the first Super Bowl win. They were cheering for each other and carrying on as they caught fish all day long. Everyone who participated that day left with “That Grin,” the one you get when you get your first bike or your first car. It was one of those moments when we, as volunteers, knew what we were doing mattered.
As we approach this upcoming year, I look forward to all that our participants will have the opportunity to experience and that I will have the good fortune to write about. Meanwhile, please enjoy a look back at a few photos from the past year.
If you have any questions or would like to participate in any of our upcoming fly tying sessions at Fort Detrick, please reach out to me at any time at andrewfrutiger@yahoo.com or go to our Facebook page at Project Healing Waters – Frederick Chapter.
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