This was my second year working with the wonderful ladies of Casting For Recovery. We met at our usual time at the river and I was introduced to Gin with whom I would be fishing with for the morning. Gin is from Hamilton which is a small town near Missoula in the Bitterroot Valley. Gin had spent the last year of her life battling breast cancer. Needless to say she kicked its ass. Gin is a tough cookie and she loves fishing. Her husband signed her up for the event and thought it would be a great way to introduce her to fly fishing.
We were greeted with rain on the river but that didn’t seem to deter any of the courageous women out there from learning to fly fish for the first time. Over the course of a few hours Gin and I had become good friends and the cold rain and bad fishing became an afterthought. After we dried out we all had lunch at the Glacier Outdoor Center in West Glacier. It was then that I got to present the ladies with their Mountain Khaki reusable bags and gift cards. They all lit up when I explained that they could buy women’s clothing that was made for abuse.(these are tough women that need tough gear.) The day ended with a bittersweet farewell and the sweetest note that Gin shoved in my shirt pocket.
Volunteering my time for an organization such as Casting for Recovery is something that is so special to me. Most people think that I must know someone who is close to me that has dealt with breast cancer and I honestly don’t. That is not why I was drawn to it. In my eyes these women have endured more that I can ever imagine and for them to still be so strong and happy just makes me want to help them experience the happiness that fly fishing has given me. If you have not had the chance to check out this wonderful organization please check to see if they have an event in your area you could attend or help with. You won’t regret it.
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