Reeling and Healing Midwest Blog

Over 20 past participants will attend the 2007 Spring Trout Reunion Retreat in Lovells, MI, this weekend. We will be fishing on the North Branch of the Au Sable River and lodging in a private river home of a special couple who supports Reeling & Healing Midwest and also at Fuller’s North Branch Outing Club.

The women attending are cancer survivors and range in age from 32 to 70 years old. Some have fished once, others have been attending retreats for over six years. No matter their experience level, they are young at heart and come together knowing they’ll have a wonderful time.

The weather forecast for the weekend is partly cloudy with temperatures ranging from 40 degrees in the morning up to the high 60′s and 70′s by mid-day. Excellent conditions for a variety of hatches – assorted caddis, small stone flies and lookout – BWO and Hendricksons should be popping too.

We’ll be armed with plenty of flies thanks to the many tyers and fly fishers who donated over 100 dozen to us for use this season.

The grocery list is completed, equipment is ready to be christened in the river for the first time this year and the enthusiasm of the women who will be attending is going each day.

Follow our retreat experience over the next few days as we blog riverside at our retreat location.

Fish On!

“We whole-heartily support Reeling & Healing Midwest,” stated Mark, a Headwaters Trout Unlimited member for six years.

In 2006, the Headwaters Chapter of Trout Unlimited, which covers the counties of Otsego, Cheboygan, Presque Isle, Alpena and Montmorency raised funds to support Reeling & Healing Midwest retreats and a Reel Recovery retreat in Michigan. A few of their members volunteered, recruited participants and in-kind donations (one even baked pies!).

Complimentary Trout Unlimited memberships were offered to a number of our retreat participants by Headwaters with the hope to assist in continuing their fly fishing education, as well as river restoration and conservation education. Not one retreat participant turned down the offer.

“This year, we dedicated the 50/50 drawing at our Annual Banquet to Reeling & Healing Midwest,” shared John Walters, President of the organization, “with a promise to match the amount with a donation to Reel Recovery as well.” Thanks to the assistance of Sue Walters and Sharon Greanya, the 50/50 drawing was an amazing success. This year’s drawing awarded $765.00 to our upcoming summer retreat programs.

Thank you to all who participated, to the Headwaters TU, to everyone who purchased a 50/50 Raffle ticket and to all of you who believe in our efforts and organization.

Special thanks to John & Sue Walters for championing our cause, their dedicated support, never-ending positive attitudes, and expert volunteerism.

(Click here to learn more about Headwaters TU)

Special congratulations are in order for the supports who stopped by our booth and entered our various contests at the recent fishing shows.

Winners include:

Donna P. – Tiffany Key Chain at the Great Waters Fishing Expo in Chicago, IL.

David L. – Michigan Trout Unlimited Fly Fishing School at Ranch Rudolph in June.

Margaret S. – Tiffany Key Chain at the Michigan Fly Fishing Expo in Warren, MI.

Brian H., Donald D. and Bob F. – All fly tyers who donated flies to our cause and won some fun prizes.

Our good friends and supporters from the Mason-Griffith Founders Chapter of Trout Unlimited were in the booth next to us at the MFFC Expo in early March. There was Mark, and Mark, and Mark (really – there were three of them) and Sam, Dave (back from CO), Paco and more.They were raising monies for their 2007 activities with a wonderful raffle of six different top prize items. With long days of standing on the hard floor, and the drive down from the Grayling area, a number of the gentlemen jumped at the opportunity to indulged themselves 10-20 minutes of chair massage which was available in our booth with our therapist, Laura. She had generously donated her time and a portion of her proceeds to our retreat programs. She was a hit and will be back!

Thanks to everyone else who enjoyed the chair massage – especially the gentlemen from the booth next door!

Fish On!

Here are a few photos of the booth and the volunteers who made it such a success. There is Bonnie and Jay, Wally, Jean, John, Kathy, Peg and Kathryn, and our group photo with a portion of the crew that made it to the end of the day on Saturday.

One of the things that makes Reeling & Healing Midwest so special are the people. The survivors, the volunteers, the participants, the individuals who provide support via email, notes, contributions and finding time to share their experiences with others. There is the time we spend on the river, but the community we share together, whether at a fishing show, working bee, making phone calls to future participants or writing letters and requesting assistance with our Wish List items, it a wonderful dimension to our organization. And a growing community.

Fish On!

Here we are – Day 2 at the show!

Yesterday was amazing – there were approximately 3,000 attendees who came through the door and traveled from booth to booth, attending seminars and lectures – all focused on fly fishing.

We gave away over 1,200 of our signature fish necklaces. Many of the show attendees and vendors are sporting them again today.

We’re excited to be selling our raffle tickets. The two prizes are being sought by many interested fishers – men, women and young adults. The Tiffany key chain is an ideal gift and show stopper. With so many rods up at other booths as prizes, many attendees have commented on what a breath of fresh air this unique prize has become at the show.

The volunteers of the MFFC have provided superb service once again. From set-up assistance, the hospitality suite, the hotel accommodations and always stopping by to check on us and offer help – it just doesn’t get any better than this. Their effort to make this show the best in Michigan definitely pays off.

We spent some time with a number of vendors. Katherine D. and Cathy S. visited booths and tested out a starter rod kits for Katherine. After about 30 minutes at the casting pond comparing rods of various price points, Katherine purchased her first rod. She’s now armed to take on as many trout as she can imagine at the retreats this year. Plus, she’ll be practicing her casting in her backyard at anytime.

We have had well over 24 volunteers help out at our booth. They’ve set-up, sold t-shirts, offered chair massage, provided music, speakers, bubbles, have been folding brochures, selling raffle tickets, and sharing their Reeling & Healing Midwest stories with everyone. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP!

Additionally, we must extend thanks to the Trout Unlimited chapters, the vendors, supplies, the MFFC and many individual fishermen for their support. All have become part of our family with a goal to teach our sport, enhance the lives of cancer survivors and help each other and our causes.

The fly tyers who are donating flies, continue to drop by and add more flies to our donation basket – we are so very grateful. The flies will go to our retreat participants and will be shared with Reel Recovery, Project Healing Waters and Fishing Has No Boundaries. For those tyers who forgot their flies for donation, please remember to send them our way.

We salute Gail Madden for the hundreds of pairs of fish earrings and other handmade items she has provided to us to sell at shows to help sponsor retreat participants. Gail has been making the earrings for us for over five years!
And a special thanks to Kari Betzer who created some beautiful beaded bracelets to sell at the show as well. A percentage of the proceeds from the bracelets and her scarf collection will be donated to Reeling & Healing Midwest. You can find more of her items on her website (If you purchase an item from her website she will donate a portion of the proceeds to help sponsor a participants at a retreat this summer).

Here are a couple photos with the earrings and bracelets.

That’s all for now.

Fish On!

WHAT A DAY IT WAS! The doors opened and attendees poured into the expo ready to check out all the booths, seminars and guest speakers.

We had a great bunch of volunteers to help throughout the day – John R., Deborah H., Bonnie G., Peggy S., Wally B., Dave M., Jay S., Amy A., Carolyn R., Sharon G., Bob & Kathy K., Rose P., Renee M., Becky B., Kate D-M., Mary R., Lydia S., Jean H-L., Jackie H., Cynthia R., and Becca S.

Our booth was non-stop busy. Highlights include:

-Kids scavenger hunt game with prizes
-Tiffany Fly Fishing Key Chain Raffle
-Michigan TU Fly Fishing School Raffle
-T-shirts for ladies!
-Chair Massage
-Our fish jewelry
-Fly donation creel (overflowing by the end of the day!)

No one will forget the fish necklaces that everyone walking the show floor were wearing. Red, gold, blue, green and purple fish were adorning over 1,200 fishermen today. Thanks to our roving volunteers for spreading the news about Reeling & Healing Midwest and sharing the necklaces.

Then there were the bubbles. A luau themed booth needed the bubbles and we had ‘em, thanks to Jay S. Our video montage had Jimmy Buffet tunes to listen to while you watched the photos of our 2006 retreats come to life before you eyes.

At 2:30 pm, our own Cathy Sero gave a presentation at the casting pond called, “Practice Makes Perfect”. She discussed the reasons to practice (be a better fisherman for starters) and how to set goals and use targets to enhance your practice sessions. She referenced a book written by Jim C. Chapralis, a well-known pioneer in the fly fishing travel industry, a top-notch fisherman, caster and advocate for stream and water preservation. The book is called, “Master Your Casting”.

The show was rocking until closing time. Many interested attendees stopped by to learn about our 2007 programs, as well as what we accomplished in 2006. We had several individuals sign up to participate and volunteers as well.

With nine retreats last year, 178 participants and 224 volunteers and guides assisting, we did a lot in 2006. Read more about it at http://www.reelingandhealing.org – look for the 2006 Recap.

Many of the vendors as well as show attendees stopped by to treat themselves to a chair massage by our good friend, Laura W. She graciously donated a portion of her massage monies to Reeling & Healing Midwest to help sponsor 2007 participants. Everyone enjoyed Laura – her hands worked magic on quite a few tired shoulders.

After the show the volunteers who were hungry headed off to Buddy’s Pizza and enjoy some libations, appetizers and of course, pizza. We then headed back to the headquarters hotel for a visit to the MFFC Hospitality Suite. It was just getting into the swing of things about 9:00 pm.

More to come and photos too.

Fish On!

As some of you know, earlier this week a Call To Action went out asking for volunteers to staff our booth at the MFFC 2007 Fly Expo (info, MFFC Website). The response has been great! As always, our volunteers have come though.

At this point we are at about 90% coverage for the weekend, but could use more help. We have divided the show into time slots (see below). If you are interested, drop us an email at info@reelingandhealingmidwest.org or call 866-237-5725. There are rooms available Friday and Saturday night.

Saturday, March 10th – Show is open between 9 am and 6 pm
- 8:30 am – 12:00 pm, Need 1 Volunteer

Sunday, March 11th – Show is open between 10 am and 4 pm and booth tear-down
- 9:30 am – 1 pm, Need 2 Volunteers
- 1pm – 5 pm, Need 2 Volunteers

Map To Location for those who are attending the show.

Thanks to Ruthanne for coordinating this event. She’s the best around.

See you at the show. Fish On!

What a great year it was!From our visits to fly fishing shows to spread the word about our retreat programs, to presentations at local hospitals, cancer centers and support groups, then on to the retreats along the river banks of some wonderful trout waters, we had fun – all year long.

We’re grateful for the enduring and giving support of our awesome volunteers and to the vendors, guides, shops and enthusiastic communities that lent a helping hand, donations, and their time to make our retreat programs the best for the women cancer survivors who attend.

Here’s to the many friendships made along the river banks, the genuine support in our battles, the joys of high-fiving another year of a clean-slate of health, the knowledge that you’re not alone, the ability to step out into a new activity and setting – testing your faith and trust in others again, the thrill of watching a fish rise to your fly, the infectious laughter that heals, the authenticity of others, and the renewal of spirit that leads to the renewal of hope.

Who would have thought we’d have so much to cherish.

Here are some fun retreats stats to enjoy:

• 178 Participants
• 224 Volunteers
• 201 Trout caught and released
• 299 Trout long distance released
• 381 Flies lost (that we know about…)
• 122 Bags of ice used
• 2,497 Waters, sodas and juice
• 27 Fish kissed
• 4 Fisheries biologists – one that was an expert “wader”
• 41 New Trout Unlimited memberships
• 94 Makeovers and Healing Touch Sessions
• 18 Au Sable River body surfers
• 964,800+ Casts made
• 226,576+ Hugs shared
• 566,440+ Smiles brightening the world
• 150 Julie Gates’ Waldorf salads consumed
• Countless and Priceless – All the memories and laughter

And everyday, we’re remembering to Fish On!

Get ready for a raffle!

Your choice of a stunning silver fly fishing key chain direct from Tiffany’s (with the blue box as well), a slot at the famed Michigan Trout Unlimited Fly Fishing School in June at Ranch Rudolph or a few other special surprizes.

Tickets are $5.00 each and a limited number will be sold. If you are interested in purchasing a ticket, stop by our booth at the show or send us an email request to info@reelingandhealing.org.

Winners do not need to be present to win.

Fish On!