Healing Waters: Fly fishing program offers rehab to veterans
Paul Paterra
Paul Paterra
Volunteer Steve Slavonic, standing, works with Tim Klobucar of Connellsville during a recent class at the White Oak American Legion.
Paul Paterra
Photos: Paul Paterra
Working on their fly tying at a recent class at the White Oak American Legion are Ed Niehenke, left, of Derry, and Tim Klobucar of Connellsville.
Eric Bailey, a volunteer from Avella, helps Eric Trainer of Cheswick at an outing at the Conway 缅北禁地men鈥檚 Club in Butler County.
Paul Paterra
Paul Paterra
Scott Loughner, the lead fly tying volunteer, offers instruction at a recent class at the White Oak American Legion.
Paul Paterra
Paul Paterra
Volunteer Terry Mulvihill, right, the first program lead for Pittsburgh, works with participant Jim Leone of Greensburg.
Amanda Thompson, program lead for the Pittsburgh Project Healing Waters program, with Tom Strang of Canonsburg, who shows off his catch at a fishing outing at the Beinhauer family pond in Scenery Hill. (Photos courtesy of Amanda Thompson)
For nearly two decades, military veterans have been helped in their mental, emotional and physical rehabilitation with the simple art of fly fishing.
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Inc. began in 2005 when Ed Nicholson, a U.S. Navy veteran from Maryland, was a patient at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Being a fly fisherman, he would practice casting on the hospital lawn.
鈥淗e got other patients in the hospital to come out with him,鈥� said Amanda Thompson, program lead for Pittsburgh鈥檚 Healing Waters. 鈥淭hen he had the idea that wouldn鈥檛 it be great to take these guys out fly fishing, get them out to nature for the day and get them away from the hospitals and all of that negative crap in their life. It just exploded from there.鈥�
Exploded it has: Project Healing Waters has expanded to more than 200 programs throughout the country.
Volunteers work with veterans to teach them the various aspects of fly fishing, such as fly tying, rod building and casting. What is learned is put to use at fishing outings.
The Pittsburgh program began in 2008 with two veterans and three volunteers.
Terry Mulvihill of Mt. Lebanon was Pittsburgh鈥檚 first program lead and continues to offer his services as the lead rod building volunteer.
鈥淚t gradually grew over time,鈥� Mulvihill said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great. I鈥檓 thrilled. We鈥檝e had really positive feedback from the participating vets. I have some really good friends as a result. We have a wonderful group of volunteers. I can鈥檛 say enough good things about it.鈥�
There are about 30 active members. Classes are held at four locations: Library 缅北禁地men鈥檚 Association, Stephen Foster Community Center in Lawrenceville, White Oak American Legion and Pittsburgh VA Hospital鈥檚 H.J. Heinz Campus in Aspinwall.
鈥淧articipation has been great,鈥� Thompson said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e lucky in this area. We have a lot of skilled fly fisherman. We鈥檝e got a good volunteer base. We have a good donor base, and we鈥檝e got the participants. It all came together really well here.鈥�
Participant Jack Merchant, a Vietnam Army veteran, said his son encouraged his involvement.
鈥淚 had no intent to do anything with veterans,鈥� said the Latrobe resident shortly before a recent class in White Oak. 鈥淭o shut him up, about four or five years ago I showed up and have been active ever since. I had this very uneasy feeling while I was here. That has since dissipated. These people are nice to me. Nice treatment for a Vietnam vet was odd.鈥�
Merchant, 76, admitted he hadn鈥檛 done much fishing before getting involved. That has changed.
鈥淔ly fishing is addictive,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 do it on my own too. These outings are just so much fun. We learn tons of stuff. But I think it鈥檚 the around the fire at night. We compare notes about our military histories, but it鈥檚 the fun stuff. It鈥檚 very nice. You get the camaraderie of the vets and all of the nice volunteers are just so enthusiastic.鈥�
Scott Felentzer of Smithton said he wasn鈥檛 successful in teaching himself how to fly fish, and the program offered just what he needed. He鈥檚 participated for about three years.
鈥淭his has changed my life for the better,鈥� said the U.S. Air Force veteran with 28 years of service. 鈥淚t teaches you skills like patience and determination. If you鈥檙e mentally exhausted with so many problems, if you鈥檙e out there on the stream, everything goes away.鈥�
Holly Monahan, mother and caregiver of participant Sean Monahan of Greensburg, credits Healing Waters for saving her son鈥檚 life. Sean Monahan served in Afghanistan and bears physical and emotional scars from his time in combat.
鈥淚t has gotten him out in the community,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t has connected him with other veterans. This program has been phenomenal. He says being out in the water, all of the troubles, anxieties and worries flow away in the stream. He absolutely loves this program and I have seen a tremendous growth and change in him for the positive.鈥�
Thompson said she has witnessed amazing transformation in veterans.
鈥淭he ones who are shy and really don鈥檛 talk a lot will text me the next day and say, 鈥業 had a blast, I had the best time,'鈥� Thompson said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e outside in nature, it鈥檚 relaxing and calming and puts them in a good head space. This is therapy without the therapy.鈥�
Those interested in participating, volunteering or donating should contact Thompson at amanda.thompson@projecthealingwaters.org.