Take an Injured Soldier Fishing

Danita Dahl, the Events Coordinator for Madigan Army Hospital at Ft Lewis, needs some guys with yaks and fishing equipment to take injured soldiers fishing. She will do all the planning, coordination, and transportation to get the soldiers there. You can pick the spot. She just needs some kayak fisherman to show up with an extra yak and some fishing gear to get the soldiers on the water. This is nothing more than taking newbies fishing and showing them the ropes. These guys just deserve our support more than most. Most of the soldiers are as mobile and able to fish as all of us. In fact, they are usually better because they are young, in shape, soldiers.

She will start out at whatever level of support she can get. This is about as easy as it gets to work with the military and the soldiers. Having a person at the hospital and Warriors in Transition Battalion reach out to the kayak fishing world is really amazing. As you get into this program and see the effect kayak fishing has on the well being and therapy for the soldiers, you will be hooked. It's an awesome thing.

For more info post here, PM or email me.

Attached below is an article by Scott Null, author of " Kayak Fishing: The Ultimate Guide ". Scott was at our last outing in March, along with Jim Sammons, Cory Routh, Dean Thomas. The article succinctly describes why our program is so good for the soldiers. Please take the time to read and share with other folks.
 
Jim

Jim Dolan
[email protected]
214-295-4541
http://www.HeroesOnTHeWater.org

ok guys, Mrs. Dahl is willin to shoulder the major burden of the H.O.W. program for us. all we need to do is support her. i've pled for help earlier in our older H.O.W. threads. now a board member from H.O.W. [ Jim, aka double_dip] is asking you directly..

guys, please, help.

Coupla' stories.   The guy in the pic below had traumatic brain injury (TBI) Physical damage. Spent four hours in a yak fishing and came out talking normal. Stuttered and slow before. He had been at the hospital for two years and that was the first time he had talked normal, even if just for 45 seconds. He said "now I know I can be normal. Now I have hope"  This was the "AHA" moment when we knew that kayak fishing was more than just hanging out. It is very therapeutic.



This is a pic of the kid in Scott's article with his smile. Battalion Commander said it was the first time they'd seen the kid smile in the six months he'd been at the hospital. Y'all can be a part of this. Just need someone to show up with a yak and some fishing gear a few times a year  Just taking newbies kayak fishing.  We are doing it across the nation. 

I'd be willing to help, and I have a second old solo/tandem Sit-On-Top kayak (Malibu2 Classic), an extra PFD and some fishin' poles: but that's it.  I don't have any of the other safety gear for another fully grown male. If there were an event in the works, and I could coordinate the rest of the gear so that my "fishin' buddy" was at least minimally equipped with safety gear (and I have to assume that would not necessarily include immersion preparedness), then I'd be there in a hearbeat.  As it is now, with the current temperatures, I'd be nervous taking someone out who was wearing a PFD and all cotton. That water, even on small freshwater lakes, is very cold.  I think the bottom line is that an event needs to be in the works.  My last recollection was that Silver Lake in Cowlitz county was considered for the event last year that fell through.  That lake sounds like a real winner for this kind of thing.  Bass spawn this year starts in 6 weeks or so, depending on our temperatures.

YM


Can you think of anything closer to say Us which i am in Graham. Like maybe Silver or Alder Lake.. I thought i had heard mention that they were saying Silver lake was to far south.. Or something in between you and me.. I would be willing to help. I could see if Rich.. (wanderingRichard) would let me use his Yak, Paddle, and PFD since he will be in Germany for 90 days starting tomorow. and i do have a a couple of small rods they could use also.

Marilyn

WARNING!!!  This program will become highly addictive!!

Thanks for stepping up everyone!!  I really appreciate the help.  Danita and pole pole will be contacting y'all on a date and location. If y'all will send me an email address, I will send you a after outing report one of our volunteers wrote about her first experience.  She was very nervous about working with the soldiers and in the end, realized the best thing you can do is be yourself and treat them as you would any newbie to the sport.The report will help you with the first outing.   

Please feel free to email or call with any questions. You are in excellent hands with Danita. She is a great person.

Jim
[email protected]

Jim Dolan
101-C North Greenville Ave. #55
Allen, TX 75002-2200
214-295-4541
http://www.HeroesOnTheWater.org

 

My mention of Silver Lake in Cowlitz county is only a repeat of what I believe was posted before.  If the event were posted early enough it wouldn't matter to me where it happened. Fishing waters that have a good chance of catching fish would be nice. That's the only real concern for me other than safety gear.

On a side note, it might be worthwhile to contact Johnson Outdoors in Ferndale to see if they would be willing to make their rental fleet available.  I'm sure they would have a few questions, and possibly liability concerns, but it might be a valuable resource. Those guys rock. Their phone number is 360-366-4003.

On a side note, it might be worthwhile to contact Johnson Outdoors in Ferndale to see if they would be willing to make their rental fleet available.  I'm sure they would have a few questions, and possibly liability concerns, but it might be a valuable resource. Those guys rock. Their phone number is 360-366-4003.

Already on it.  We have commitments from local OK sales rep and will be checking with the home base for their support as well.

-Allen

Sweet.  I have an '87 Toyota 4x4 pickup with a Thule rack system and can haul 2 kayaks up above no problem.  With some help 3 up top might work, and I could probably throw a few more small ones in the bed.  Count me in for hauling some 'yaks if they come out of Ferndale.

I'm willing to go along and lend a hand.  I have an extra pole/tackle, life jacket and spot on the roof, but that is about it.  If OK or someone else can spare an extra yak & paddle count me in for helping out fellow Vets. 

Count me in. I have two kayaks; an OK Scrambler XT and a Hobie Outback. The Hobie is by far the more stable of the two. I don't have extra safety gear, but I do have extra fishing gear for just about any type of fishing.

- Karl

way to step up guys!! i knew you would....

I wanted to chime in earlier being that I'm a former soldier but I didn't have a yak up until two days ago.  I'm in!! I have a Malibu that I could  offer up and I would beable to haul a couple more yaks on top of the Jeep.  Whatever I can do ......I think this is great we really need to show these guys a great time.

Quick update and some good news. A new active duty cadre member for the Warrior Transition Battalion is a kayak fishing guide and was guiding in California. He will help Danita get the program going at Madigan/Ft Lewis. They will set a date after he gets moved in and then will be looking for help with volunteers and equipment. They'll let us know as soon as they get things going.

Thanks for everyone's patience.