PHWFF – Colorado Springs relies on the dedication of a team of over 200 volunteers who are willing to donate their time and energy to our cause. It doesn’t matter whether you have been affiliated with the military in the past, or even whether you know a lot about fly fishing. We have a variety of roles that need to be filled, everything from teaching fly tying to marketing to administrative jobs.
Volunteering is a donation of your valuable time. The value given is only exceeded by the value gained by the men and women who are helped daily by PHWFF – Colorado Springs. And in many cases, the volunteers themselves report feeling a sense of fulfillment and belonging as a result of supporting our program, and through engaging in the hands-on process of helping disabled active duty personnel and veterans recover from mental and physical injuries sustained during their service.
“I was never in the military and had never worked with people that had physical or mental issues. I justified that if I didn’t even know what PTSD meant, there was no way I could be of value to this organization. But after a couple of years, I finally decided to give it a try. Once I took my passion for fly fishing and Mentored my first Vet, I was hooked (so to speak)…I have observed veterans that were ready to die, and after a year in the program, they wanted to learn how to Mentor other Wounded Warriors! Life doesn’t get more fulfilling than that.”
“As with most people, being asked to “teach” or “mentor” can be intimidating but I was told early on that when teaching beginners you probably know more than they do so you already have a leg up. Since I have taught fly tying and/or fly fishing for many years I realized that when you teach you are forced to self-evaluate and in doing so you sharpen your skill set each time you instruct. In other words, you learn by teaching…I have been involved with PHWFF for four years as a mentor and teacher. From participant comments and seeing firsthand the positive impact I had on another person’s life I was truly humbled and joyous. We may never know the influence that we have had on another’s life just know that you do. Conversely, this is as true for volunteers as well.”
PHWFF-Colorado Springs is always seeking volunteers to assist with fly tying instructions, fishing trip mentors, and a wide variety of other opportunities to help in this great program. Please complete this form and you will be contacted by a member of our Leadership Team. Thank you for stepping out to help our disabled servicemembers and veterans!