Teammates Jason Baker and Chris Smith finished first in the open category of the 4th Annual Project Healing Waters 2-Fly, held May 2nd at Rose River Farms in Syria, VA.
More importantly, Project Healing Waters raised $110,000 to benefit existing and future fly fishermen in the program.
Thirty two-man teams participated in the fly fishing contest and 15 of those teams paired an active-duty service member or veteran with a more experienced fly angler. Ten teams with corporate sponsors competed in a Pro/Vet category and 20 teams competed in an open category.
The winners of the Pro/Vet category were:
Army Specialist Caleb Huss, of Woodbridge, Va., and guide Eric Stroup, from Spruce Creek, Pa.
Army Sergeant First Class Jose Ortiz, of Ft. Belvoir and guide Chris Murphy of Warrenton, Va.
Marine Sergeant (ret.) Sean Locker, of Dahlgren, Va., and guide William Heresniak, of Manassas, Va.
The largest fish award went to LCPL (ret.) John Gilroy of Salisbury, N.C.
The event was sponsored by The Orvis Company, Temple Fork Outfitters, Rose River Farm, Dominion, and numerous other companies that donated fishing gear, gift certificates and other items for a raffle.
Smith and Baker, fishing as a team, were proud to be sponsored by the 75th Ranger Regiment Association.
Project Healing Waters Fly fishing, Inc. is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and veterans through fly fishing and fly tying education and outings. Project Healing Waters was founded in 2005 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and is a registered 501c3, non-profit organization. PHWFFI currently has 86 programs in 70 Veteran’s hospitals and 16 military facilities. The organization’s programs operate in 37 states, Canada and U.S. military facilities in Germany with the assistance of Trout Unlimited Chapters, the Federation of Fly Fishers and independent fly fishing clubs.
To learn more about Project Healing Waters, and to make your donation to the cause, visit http://www.projecthealingwaters.org .
Amazing event, and a truly inspiring day to be on the water. Congratulations to all of the Pro/Vet teams!