Project Title: Healing Experiences for Veterans
Project Purpose: to welcome veteran members of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing to Shenandoah National Park to heal through camaraderie, connectedness, and fly-fishing.
Project Goals:
- to further the healing journeys of veterans with disabilities
- to generate advocates for recreation in Shenandoah National Park and the conservation efforts necessary to preserve it.
- to present casting and fly-tying demonstrations to members of the public at outreach events throughout the state and encourage fellow anglers to visit Shenandoah.
Project Impact: “We will welcome veterans with disabilities to experience therapeutic connection to the park’s waters and to each other through fly-fishing. Without enhanced access through administrative roads, many veterans would not be able to angle in the company of their peers in Shenandoah.
“Traumas that limit a veteran’s ability to hike and camp may also hamper their income. Providing comfortable, shared rooms ensures financial barriers do not prohibit participation. Veteran participants work closely with volunteer guides, often experienced members of the program themselves, to hone their angling skills and to build close relationships. Through these close relationships, veterans with disabilities can enjoy the curative power of time in Shenandoah. Outreach events will invite visitors to engage with Shenandoah in a new way that they may not have considered or felt that they could access.”
Project Funding: $15,800 in FY25; $16,590 in FY26