Fly Fishing Benefactors builds and badges gear for Project Healing Waters (PHW) and Casting for Recovery (CFR). This gear is sold and the proceeds from the sales is donated to the respective organizations. Fly Fishing Benefactors also supports Reel Recovery in any way that we can. In addition to these groups, we provide gear and support to the Trout Unlimited Annual Trout Camp in Virginia (and sometimes Georgia). Fly Fishing Benefactors is also trying to provide assistance to the Friends of the Rivers of Virginia. This is an effort to defend public fishing from age old grants that seem to be causing problems all over the United States.
We offer the opportunity to donate to these organizations on our website. Please consider sending a dollar to these organizations. It all adds up and it helps the cause.
In recent months, I have had numerous people offer to send gear and donations to the programs that Fly Fishing Benefactors support. I'd like to recognize these people who have sent in donations and equipment for our benefit groups. First, we have Jason Filbert from Kansas. Jason donated a huge lot of fly tying materials. Evelyn Applebaum from Georgia sent in some great artwork to donate and use for the cause. Caroline McCallister from Arkansas sent in some cash and equipment to support the causes. I'd like to extend my personal thanks to these great fly fishers and supporters of the Fly Fishing Benefactors support groups. These are the people with the same spirit that we have and we welcome them to our team!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Memorial Day 2012
I remember as a young boy thinking about the year 2000 and how I would be 44 years old when the millennium arrived. How distant and far off that seemed at age 13. I wondered what it would be like to be a father and a member of the military. Being a brat overseas, I only knew one life, a military one. My life was shaped and molded by many important people. My family had a lot to do with that. Being a "Jr", I had a "Sr" making his impact as a father and a Japanese mother who always insisted on being the best that you could be. Anything less than perfection was a failure in her eyes. I was never perfect and of course, never will be but there was one person who seemed to always make me feel as close to perfect as I could be. That was my Godfather John Montville.
John was a quiet and gentle man. He had an incredible and uncanny ability to make you think about things in a way you never thought about before and he always seemed to find the brighter side of any situation. I guess that is why he was a decorated veteran. I can imagine that in combat, he showed an intensity and fierce tenacity to get the job done. He won medals. His citations talked about his bravery and valor. Yet, he was calming and gentile in his manner. You would have never known he was a warrior had you spent 20 minutes talking with him. He would have never discussed his awards and recognition by his country, as that would have been something that he thought was expected of him.
My Godfather died on April 28, 2012 and I knew this Memorial Day weekend would be very hard for me to get through. You can never miss someone more, when they are gone forever. John Montville inspired me, comforted me, instructed me, and guided me to be someone that would contribute to a world in need of contributions. When I was a young officer I didn't understand why the military was the way it was sometimes. John would explain it in a way that made sense, as an older sage enlisted man would know. He saw the big picture when I was still focused on the little things. He helped me navigate those times where it seemed that my family became a lower priority to my job as an officer in the military. He mentored me to become a better soldier and patriot. In doing so, he made me a better man and father in the process as well.
I miss John. A month before he died, I was with him during a chemo session. I left him, with the intentions of returning in a few weeks or a month to help out again. I missed him by a couple of days. He died suddenly to complications, not to the cancer that was attacking him like no enemy he has ever encountered before. The last time we were together, I hugged him and I told him I loved him. Sadly, that was the only time I ever said those words out loud to him in the 55 years that I knew him. I look back on that and hope that he knew, before I told him that day, that I did love him and respect him my whole life. I tried desperately as a wing man to help my flight leader through the battle. Unfortunately for me and my family, I couldn't succeed. He finally faced an enemy that he could not defeat but he didn't for a minute let up his resolve or his determination. He fought to the last minute. He left this world a better place and I will do my best to honor his life and to carry the colors in his place.
To all veterans and families of veterans, I thank you for your service to our great country. For those of you that have finished your watch, we'll take it from here and thank you for your service and sacrifice. We will honor your memory today. Know too, that we will honor your memory every day.
John was a quiet and gentle man. He had an incredible and uncanny ability to make you think about things in a way you never thought about before and he always seemed to find the brighter side of any situation. I guess that is why he was a decorated veteran. I can imagine that in combat, he showed an intensity and fierce tenacity to get the job done. He won medals. His citations talked about his bravery and valor. Yet, he was calming and gentile in his manner. You would have never known he was a warrior had you spent 20 minutes talking with him. He would have never discussed his awards and recognition by his country, as that would have been something that he thought was expected of him.
My Godfather died on April 28, 2012 and I knew this Memorial Day weekend would be very hard for me to get through. You can never miss someone more, when they are gone forever. John Montville inspired me, comforted me, instructed me, and guided me to be someone that would contribute to a world in need of contributions. When I was a young officer I didn't understand why the military was the way it was sometimes. John would explain it in a way that made sense, as an older sage enlisted man would know. He saw the big picture when I was still focused on the little things. He helped me navigate those times where it seemed that my family became a lower priority to my job as an officer in the military. He mentored me to become a better soldier and patriot. In doing so, he made me a better man and father in the process as well.
I miss John. A month before he died, I was with him during a chemo session. I left him, with the intentions of returning in a few weeks or a month to help out again. I missed him by a couple of days. He died suddenly to complications, not to the cancer that was attacking him like no enemy he has ever encountered before. The last time we were together, I hugged him and I told him I loved him. Sadly, that was the only time I ever said those words out loud to him in the 55 years that I knew him. I look back on that and hope that he knew, before I told him that day, that I did love him and respect him my whole life. I tried desperately as a wing man to help my flight leader through the battle. Unfortunately for me and my family, I couldn't succeed. He finally faced an enemy that he could not defeat but he didn't for a minute let up his resolve or his determination. He fought to the last minute. He left this world a better place and I will do my best to honor his life and to carry the colors in his place.
Master Sergeant John Albert Montville - Born June 24, 1932 - Died April 28, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Virginia Fly Fishing Festival Aftermath
I hate to say it but this year's festival was absolutely awful for us. The gate was extremely low and the weather was not very cooperative either. The entry fee was raised to $20 this year and we are not sure of the impact that had on the gate but it seemed that there were hardly any people at the event (or at least in the main tent). Over the years, we have had a steady increase in sales at the festival but this year, we had sales far less than our first year's visit. That, coupled with the rising entry fee, donation item(s), gas prices, and hotel and meal expenses to stay down in Waynesboro for the weekend, will make us think about returning next year!
We were supposed to be at the Project Healing Waters 2-Fly tournament today but got word last night that my godfather passed away rather suddenly. I was already slated to head down to Columbus, Georgia to see him tomorrow but now my mission has changed. The funeral is scheduled for Thursday at the military cemetery on Ft. Benning. He will be buried next to his wife Shimako, who pre-deceased him in 1993. John Montville was a retired Master-Sargeant from the US Army. He was the recipient of the Combat Infanry Badge, twice in Korea and Vietnam. He also received the Bronze Star and the Silver Star for bravery and galantry in combat. John never missed a birthday or important event in my life for all 55 years of it! I loved him very much and he will be sorely missed. Another of my great mentors has passed onto the afterlife. He was a proud member of the US Army Signal Corps.
We were supposed to be at the Project Healing Waters 2-Fly tournament today but got word last night that my godfather passed away rather suddenly. I was already slated to head down to Columbus, Georgia to see him tomorrow but now my mission has changed. The funeral is scheduled for Thursday at the military cemetery on Ft. Benning. He will be buried next to his wife Shimako, who pre-deceased him in 1993. John Montville was a retired Master-Sargeant from the US Army. He was the recipient of the Combat Infanry Badge, twice in Korea and Vietnam. He also received the Bronze Star and the Silver Star for bravery and galantry in combat. John never missed a birthday or important event in my life for all 55 years of it! I loved him very much and he will be sorely missed. Another of my great mentors has passed onto the afterlife. He was a proud member of the US Army Signal Corps.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Virginia Fly Fishing Festival and the PHW 2-Fly are in April
Well, April is the last busy month in our show schedule. The Virginia Fly Fishing Festival in Waynesboro is the last big show of the year for us and we are expecting a great turn-out there as usual. We'll have a trailer full of stuff, including our new boxes, leaders and nets. Come see us on the 21st and/or the 22nd of April for the show on the river in Waynesboro. We are having a sale on ALL fly reels right now, so take advantage of the already low prices on our incredible fly reels!
The 6th Annual Project Healing Waters 2-Fly Tournament will be held at the fabulous Rose River Farms. Doug Dear told me he ordered "Perfect" weather for the event again, so I am looking forward to it! We'll be there to sell PHW Gear and also support the troops with equipment needs. We have the new Teeny Blue and Gold PHW fly line as well as the new PHW rod tubes and of course, TFO PHW Fly Rods!
FFB supports the TU Trout Camp in Syria June 24-29 with gear donations for the students and staff.
We still have the CFR 2-Fly in October when we close out the year's show schedule.
The 6th Annual Project Healing Waters 2-Fly Tournament will be held at the fabulous Rose River Farms. Doug Dear told me he ordered "Perfect" weather for the event again, so I am looking forward to it! We'll be there to sell PHW Gear and also support the troops with equipment needs. We have the new Teeny Blue and Gold PHW fly line as well as the new PHW rod tubes and of course, TFO PHW Fly Rods!
FFB supports the TU Trout Camp in Syria June 24-29 with gear donations for the students and staff.
We still have the CFR 2-Fly in October when we close out the year's show schedule.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
NCCTU - The Aftermath
As fly fishing shows go, you have to be happy with the NCCTU venue and process, George Gaines and his crew do a great job on that show. The Georgetown Prep location has easy access and set-up, nice open venue, and of course, is inside from the weather. With food service and a lot of good company, it is a great show! We saw a lot of our old friends and also met a lot of new customers. It was a record sales day for us, as we continue to sell more and more each year at these shows. Thanks for coming by to see us and for those that didn't pull the trigger on that purchase at the show, we hope to see you on our website soon!
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