Volunteer!

[BrokenolMarine]

Back when we were running our Charity, we were also volunteering with Project Healing Waters. PHW is a fly fishing charity that provides an outlet for veterans by teaching fly tying and fly fishing. They teach fly tying and casting at the VA Hospitals, and take the vets on outings so they can apply what they have learned. Like our Kayak Fishing Charity, they provide everything the vets need for a great trip. The vets need only bring an open mind, and they return with a lifetime of memories.

Volunteering with PHW, we taught casting, and I coached on tying. Miss Tina is a gifted tyer herself and taught fly tying for years at the Richmond VA hospital. We got a call from one of our friends in Northern VA telling us that the MD Chapter of PHW was holding a Tie - In to provide flies for the coming year and wanted to know if we'd like to attend, to provide some extra flies for the day. I normally don't go into MD, considering it a communist state since they don't honor my Carry Permit. But for this cause... ... because our friend invited us... we headed up. We brought along another gifted tyer, LoneStar, a transplanted Texan, living in the area and working as an electrician for a local company. He was one our most loyal volunteers, a fly fisherman, and could create flies from the oddest things that caught monster fish.

We loaded in the Batmobile, my Blacked out Dodge Charger, and headed North. A funny thing happened on the drive up. I came around a traffic circle in a small town, famous for speed traps. I was going 40 in the 35 by mistake, and there was the county cop running radar. Tina busted out laughing in the back seat: Her day was made. "You ARE going to get a ticket, you're gonna get a ticket, your're gonna get a ticket..." she chanted.

Let's see... High and tight haircut. Blacked out charger... Marine Corps Ball Cap and Jaw line... Something about it said, NOT.
I tossed the Sheriff's Deputy a salute, and he grinned and tipped his ballcap and went back to his radar...
Miss T said, "I would have gotten fourteen tickets and a twenty minute lecture..."

"You would have asked him if there wasn't a donut somewhere with his name on it."

(Before we got married, Miss Tina had gotten two tickets in the same day, from the same Officer, at the same spot. One going to work and one coming home.) He didn't ask her for her information after he looked in her window that afternoon, he just copied the morning ticket.

After twenty plus years with me... not only has she mellowed a LOT, she has learned to handle things a lot differently. Yes Sir, No Sir, You are so right... Sir.

We arrived at the MD facility and parked the Batmobile (what everyone called it).

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Lonestar jumped out to check out the Healing Waters Van... It was impressive.

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We went inside and joined the group and got started tying flies. All the flies tied, would be donated to the MD PHW chapter, and they would provide flies for the group for the upcoming year. It was quite a turnout. Miss T and Lonestar are at the far side of the room, backs to the wall, sitting behind that podium.

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Here is a pic of them hard at work.

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We tied for about six hours, not including the break for lunch. Here are some of the flies we tied. They had suggestions for some of the flies they wanted.

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In addition, Miss Tina tied a few of her specialty flies for pass and crappie for fresh water ponds... since they would be making some of those trips. It was a great day and we saw a few old friends. We were invited to attend some of the trips, come up and attend some meetings, but... I don't make the trips to MD if I can help it. There are too many states that DO honor my permits.

If you have time, find something that interests you, and volunteer.
We worked with the vets through Heroes on the Water, our kayaking charity.
Through Project Healing Waters.. the fly fishing charity...
and through YakAttack's annual Charity Tournament... (the only one we are still solidly involved in.)
We also rode with two different rescue squads until health issues put a stop to that...

Now, we donate items to raffles, and offer advice.
I make things and Tina coordinates and advises on several events and charities, but REFUSES to get formally involved. We have done our share... time for the younger folks to step in... You know.. forty, fifty (ish).

[The Wiz]

I've been volunteering at my local library. We have over 350 volunteers serving in 3 locations in the district. We do everything from shelving to home deliveries to shut ins. We read to children, we teach adults to read, we teach computer skills and we do it cause it makes us feel good.

Let me tell you about our princess day. Shortly after "Frozen " came out we got hold of a copy that had the words for all the songs appear at the bottom. To get in to see the movie you had to dress like a princess. Well...about 100 princess and mom's with strollers showed up in a room that capacity was 100. We did not expect that. No matter we got everyone settled. For the next hour and half I got to hear the most beautiful sounds of all the princesses and mom's singing with movie. I kid you not, there were librarians ,volunteers ,security with tears in their eyes because of the beauty of their voices. This what you get when you volunteer at any capacity. The feeling that, dang, I just made a difference.

Of course, when the "princesses" appeared live on stage at the end of the movie there was such a screaming that was undescribable but awesome. Pretty cool.

[BrokenolMarine]

I know what you mean Wiz... We ran our Charity for the VA Vets to go Kayak Fishing for more than five years. We invested time and money to get the charity up and running and never regretted either. We still hear from a number of the guys and gals we put on the water, and have made life long friends from among the veteran's and the volunteers, but two things will always stand out in my mind....

The First was a comment in person:
I had a doctor's appointment and showed up late after the group of veteran's was already on the lake fishing at one mid week event, so some of the new folks didn't know who I was, and had never met me. When Tina sounded the AIR Horn to call them in for the noon meal, one of the Para guys came in and was helped into his chair and Tina rolled him up and put him beside me at the table and introduced me as both her Husband, and the Chapter President. The Vet looked at me and said, "You guys have no idea what you are doing here."

I was stunned. We worked so hard every single time to make things right, and to insure they have a great time....

He continued... "You have given me my life back. I live ON the water and haven't been able to go out and do anything on the river for years, now it looks like all that will change. Thank you so much."

"I know just how you feel," I told him.

"I hate it when folks say that..." he started...

"Wait... " I said, "before you say any more, look over your shoulder. The red chair with the Marine Corps logo is mine."

"Okay... maybe you do..." "Let's start over." We became great friends and he is like family these days. He gets a great laugh when he tells everyone Tina is his sister.... (Since he's black.)

The second was a phone message:
A veteran that was also a para, and had a problem with seizures and a weakened lower back explained the issue to Miss Tina at a meeting for fly tying when he asked about coming to a kayak fishing event. He had good upper body strength but was worried that if he fell back in the kayak during a seizure he wouldn't be able to sit back upright. There were several things working in his favor... high backed seat, straps supporting the seatback would give lateral support, and EVERY veteran is accompanied by an on the water guide in a kayak as well. The guides are always close enough to be of help if they are needed, but give the vets all the freedom they need. Miss T told the VET she would give the issue some serious thought and we would be ready when he arrived.

The big day came and when he arrived, we got him seated in the kayak, and there, attached to the front carry handle was a custom strap Miss Tina had made. It extended back to the seat and had a t-handle at the end of the strap and was adjustable, and velcro'd to the seat edge. If he fell back, he could simply reach down and grab that handle and pull himself back upright, using that strap attached to the front of the kayak as leverage. Independence is very important to all of us, more so when you are confined to a chair most of the time.

When we got home, there was a very emotional message from the Vet on our machine, thanking Tina for taking the time to make the assist strap. He said it made the day he had been looking forward to for so long, perfect. We get texts from him on a regular basis, and I count him among our friends.

Folks always say that we have touched so many with the work we did,
but as so many of our volunteers told us on a regular basis, I think we took away as much as they did at the end of every event.

How can you quantify the look of sheer joy on the face of someone -
Who boats their first bass...
Who sits in the kayak beside you and watches the sun set...
Sees an Eagle fly low over the water and snatch a fish cleanly and soar off again...
Sits in the cove and watches in awe as a doe and fawn slip down for a drink...
Priceless

[The Wiz]

I hear you brother. Volunteer, it good for your soul.