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Fishing organizations partner to serve veterans

Smyth County News & Messenger - 2/10/2017

Mountain Empire Chapter Trout Unlimited has partnered with Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing to help serve veterans.

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing's mission is "dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and disabled veterans through fly fishing and associated activities, including education and outings." Learn more at www.projecthealingwaters.org.

At a recent meeting, Mountain Empire Chapter Trout Unlimited was recognized with a Certificate of Appreciation for financial and volunteer support. Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing program leads Jim Christian and George Owens presented a certificate that reads: "The Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Southwest Virginia Program gratefully presents this award for the chapter's most generous support which leads directly to the well-being and comfort of our program's veterans."

Mountain Empire Chapter Trout Unlimited President Eric J. Sacknoff, MD, expressed his appreciation. "Our chapter appreciates the opportunity to participate in this effort to support our country's veterans," he said. "This special veterans program will benefit from METU's fundraising efforts this year."

In 2016, the METU chapter was recognized as the "most outstanding chapter in the state of Virginia" receiving the Virginia Council Award of Excellence. This recognition for METU's success is thanks to the support it has received from community friends and businesses, said Sacknoff.

This year's fundraising golf tournament "Tee Off for Trout" will be held on Saturday, May 6, at Holston Hills Community Golf Course. For further information, email metuchapter@gmail.com or call Carol Sacknoff at 978-505-9362

In addition to Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, contributions to Mountain Empire Chapter Trout Unlimited support the following projects:

Trout In the Classroom program. METU currently sponsors 16 tanks in Smyth, Wythe, Carroll, Washington and Grayson counties. TIC is a conservation-oriented environmental education program to raise trout from eggs to fingerlings.

"Fish On." Annual family fishing event co-sponsored with the town of Marion to celebrate Heritage Day with fly fishing instruction and trout habitat education.

Wolf Creek Restoration Project. In partnership with the town of Abingdon and Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, METU is working to restore a 900 foot-long section of trout habitat at the historic Muster Grounds on Wolf Creek.

Teaching fly fishing in public school physical education classes.

Fly Fishing Seminar for Women. A comprehensive seminar on the Holston River teaching the sport of fly fishing.

Conservation education.