Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Heros On the Water Goes National

Heroes on the Water is starting programs nationwide in June, 2009. We have introduced the therapeutic benefits of kayak fishing to wounded service members at Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio and the Darnall Army Hospital on Ft Hood, Texas for the past year. Nationwide, 3 new chapters had outings beginning in June of 2009 -Madigan Army Medical Center on Fort Lewis, Washington; Eisenhower Army Hospital, Ft Gordon, Georgia; and Portsmouth Naval Hospital in Virginia. Interest has also been expressed from Camp Lejeune in SC and Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania. 3 new Texas chapters started in the spring and summer of '09 - Temple VA Hospital with the Women's Trauma Recovery Center; Dallas -Fort Worth working with OIF/OEF discharged veterans in the area; and the West Texas VA system.

Heroes on the Water is growing from a local, Texas based organization to a nationwide effort. The Woman's Trauma Recovery Center (WTRC) which is located at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System in Temple, Texas help women veterans diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of Military Sexual Trauma (MST) . HOW 's kayak fishing program provides therapeutic relaxation on the water for the ladies. This program (WTRC) opened in July 2007, and is the fourth residential treatment program to exclusively treat women veterans.

The nationwide expansion would not be possible without the many kayak fishing associations, forums and clubs across the country. Kayak Anglers love to share the sport with anyone new. These service members deserve our support and we want them to join our kayak fishing groups.