Lindsay Long sent along some pix from the South Holston Fly Fishing Festival. Thanks, Lindsay!

Joe Humphreys drawing the winner of an ORVIS Hydros Rod and Battenkill Reel.

Steve Head is the winner!

Sue Lepsch (2010) displays the the retreat photo book.

Three people joined Abe Mathews (not shown) in tying flies for next year’s retreat participants.

Lindsay Long, CFR-Tennessee Program Coordinator and WVA-Chap. 20 member, sent along this photo of the Women Veterans of America-Chapter 20 presenting the first donation check for the Inaugural Turning Leaf Tour coming this October (in Townsend, TN) to the CFR-Tennessee Committee.

Front Row: Gwen McKenzie, Marilyn Maynard, Tami Rase, Lindsay Long, Cathy Jerrolds. Back Row: Robby Wallace, Randy Hatfield, Abe Mathews, Jon Long

Sponsor a hole and get out your golf clubs for “Swing Fore a Sister: Shotgun Scramble” in Bigfork, MT, on July 27 at 8:30 a.m! Help raise funds for Casting for Recovery and Save a Sister by sponsoring a golf hole in honor or or in memory of a loved one or friend.  For more info, call Carol Chase at 406-837-1070.

You are invited to participate in the BUNCO for Breast Cancer Survivors Event (all profits going to Casting for Recovery).

Sunday, August 8, 2010    1 – 5 pm.

Registration fee: $25 ($30 at door).  Snack Buffet Provided.

Mesa Hilton, Pavon Room, 1011 W. Holmes Avenue, Mesa, AZ 85210

For more information contact :  donna.fischer@bannerhealth.com  or dfischersurvivor@gmail.com or Cell: 480-580-0766 – FAX 480-497-7100

N. California Program Coordinator Peggy Miskin reports: “As part of the Brookdale Senior Living fundraising goal for the Western Region, the Lodge at Paulin Creek in Santa Rosa, CA, culminated their community’s fundraising efforts with a raffle ticket event and rummage sale on Saturday, June 26. Residents purchased tickets to win gift cards from local stores, private lunch with the Executive Director, putting lessons from one of the residents, and a free hearing aid loop in an apartment, just to name a few items.

Pictured below are the organizers of the event: Resident Genevieve Halstead, Lifestyles Director Alice Ugarte, Resident Marion Peterson, and Resident Barbara Kling. Between the community’s Bunco event held last April and this event, the Lodge residents were able to raise over $1,700 for Casting for Recovery. One resident, an avid flyman in his younger years, said he was purchasing tickets with his weekly spending allowance and could not think of a better thing to spend it on!”

Below, Peg Miskin, who is also Director of Sales & Marketing at the Lodge at Paulin Creek, stands with Barbara Kilng, the community’s primary organizer of the raffle ticket sale event which benefited Casting for Recovery. Peg told the residents that she was never prouder nor more honored to be working for a community with seniors who despite their fixed incomes, were as giving and supportive as those at the Lodge. Thanks to you all!

Our own Outdoor Hero, Bonnie Holding

Casting for Recovery is proud to announce that long-time volunteer Bonnie Holding was the recipient of the Third Annual L.L. Bean Outdoor Heroes Award at a ceremony held at Evergreen Campgrounds in Solon, ME, on June 18, 2010. Each year L.L. Bean recognizes individuals who are helping to preserve wild spaces and promote outdoor recreation through his or her contributions to a qualifying nonprofit organization.

Executive Director Lori Simon, who nominated Bonnie for the award, noted that “Bonnie’s strong belief in the healing qualities of an outdoor experience, and her commitment to women’s health issues, led her to Casting for Recovery. Her passion led her to volunteer to launch the first CFR retreat serving the women of Maine in 1999, only four years after the organization came into being, and her commitment to the powerful impact that the CFR program has on the lives of those we serve has not only been an admirable record of service, but has continued to inspire others to get involved and help ‘spread the ripples’.”

Presenting the award to Bonnie at a gathering of CFR volunteers, staff, past participants, family, and friends was Mike Gawtry, L.L. Bean Hunting and Fishing Product Line Manager. He noted that as CFR refers to the “ripple effect,” the L.L. Bean award hopes to lead to “shining a light” on heroism so quiet that it escapes attention. Go here for more information on the L.L. Bean Award.

Enjoy the photos from this event!

LL Bean "Outdoor Hero" Bonnie Holding with Mike Gawtry and trophy

Bonnie celebrates with family and friends

The CFR booth

Faithful correspondent Lindsay Long, Program Coordinator-Tennessee 1, reports that CFR volunteers/fans attended the SE FFF Conclave held June 4-5 in Helen, GA, and sent along these photos.

Lindsay says, "Rex Wilson is from North Carolina and he has been tying flies for us since I met him at a CFR alumni basic fly fishing class at the Pisgah Wildlife Center two years ago. He comes to Trout Fest and ties flies for us, and also tied flies for us at the Conclave."

At the Conclave: Annabelle Winfrey, Edie Young, and Stacie Capshaw. Lindsay reports, "They took classes and learned quite a bit, especially from Gary Borger."

Annabelle Winfrey, Edie Young, Stacie Capshaw, Mary Johnson, and Lindsay Long. "Mary was able to watch the Casting Instructor Certifications and now all we have to do is encourage her to go for it," says Lindsay.

Susan Gaetz CFR-Texas wrote to let us know that the second annual Lydia Ann Fly Masters Tournament will be held July 17 in Aransas Pass, TX. The Texas CFR program is again the beneficiary of this event (last year the tournament raised more than $6,000). CFR staff, volunteers and past participants will be competing in the tournament. Go Texas!

Peggy Miskin, CFR-N. California Program Coordinator, reports that the Rolling Hills Casino and Clear Creek Sports Club near Corning, CA, held their 3rd Annual Flygirls event in support of the N. California program on Saturday May 22. This year’s attendees were split into groups and rotated through sessions held on equipment and gear led by The Fly Shop from Redding, CA, casting instruction at casting ponds brought in for the event, fly-tying sessions instructed by members of the Shasta Trinity Flyfishers, and a boutique shopping area set up by local boutiques and artisans.

Also leading a session was filmmaker Barbara Klutinis who screened her film “Stepping Into the Stream” as part of the session on mind, body, and spirit of flyfishing. Cleavage Creek Wines were poured and offered to attendees as well. Staff from the N. California program manned booths, sold t-shirts, and helped lead the sessions. The event’s organizer, Katie Grissom, events planner for the casino, got the idea for this year’s format from attending the Sunday fishing session of the CFR August retreat in 2009. 

Members of the N. California team: (l-r) Pam Gutman, filmmaker Barbara Klutinis, Shirley Parker, Suzanne McGurk, Jill Hemingway, Penny Rand, and Peg Miskin

Peggy Miskin, CFR-N. California Program Coordinator, reports that Granzella’s restaurant in Williams, CA, has set Saturday October 30 for their annual Bagna Caldette for the N. California program.  The event (patterned after “bagna calda” which means “cooking from the pot” in Italian) provides attendees the opportunity to cook at the table in pots of garlic-laden olive oil and sample the popular fare of the restaurant, participate in raffle ticket sales for prizes and trips, and enjoy an open bar. The event begins at noon and is organized by longtime Granzella’s employee, Tootie Hackett, and supported wholeheartedly by the Granzella family, including Jim Granzella, founder. Tickets can be purchased for the event by contacting Granzellas at 530-473-2545.  www.granzella’s.com.

CFR Board of Trustees member Dr. Ann Hoven, assistant vice president and medical director for the Individual Life Division of The Hartford,  talked about the second annual Wisconsin/Minnesota retreat on the television program KARE 11 Sunrise.

This year’s retreat will take place September 10-12 at Knapp Creek in Frederic, Wisconsin. The application deadline is July 2.

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Announcing a Barbeque, Brew & Bluegrass Fundraiser for Casting for Recovery programs serving women in North Carolina!

A Saturday afternoon of great barbeque, local microbrews, and live music at a private home in Asheville, N.C.

Time: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.   Tickets: $125/couple, $65 single; live and silent auction.

Click here to make reservations.

Participate in a fundraising event that will change the lives of breast cancer survivors–one woman at a time.

Marty Phillips from CFR-Oregon reports, “Our fifth Annual Golf Tournament, which has always been held at Stewart Meadows Golf Course in Medford, OR, was held on May 8th, a 9-hole scramble. This year, due to the number of players (69 with only 3 no-shows), we expected that it would be a slow-playing day, but amazingly, that was not the case. While the players enjoyed their lunches, we spoke briefly about CFR, then turned it over to one of our alumni, Alison Gostlin, who shared her remarkable story and what attending the retreat meant — and had done — for her. Everyone was enthralled, and as they left, most of the players stopped one or the other of us to say they’d be back, that it was a great tournament, which of course is always what we want to hear!

“Interestingly, two weeks prior, we were really sweating the fact that we only had 19 players, but thankfully there is a little newspaper based in Eagle Point which sends its editions out to all the small towns along the upper Rogue. It boasts a readership of almost 16,000. I had been trying to get them to do a piece on CFR for a couple of years, but last fall, I met one of the reporters who also happens to be on the city council, and one thing led to another. When she heard about my sister, she wanted to write a ‘human interest’ story leading into CFR and the golf tournament. After that article came out, we had so many calls to sign up to play, we ultimately had to turn players away and had only 3 no-shows at the tournament.”

Wonderful report, Marty. The media is an extremely valuable resource and ally to us, and they’re always looking for warm, meaningful stories: the very heart of CFR. Thanks for all your hard work, Marty!

Volunteer Lanette Abbey accepts a check from the staff of Susan G. Komen Southeastern Colorado Affiliate on behalf of Casting for Recovery’s Colorado program. The grant is awarded to help support three CFR retreats to be held in CO this year. The Komen Affiliate congratulated CFR on its “hard work and support,” and went on to say, “We are hopeful that our efforts will mean our daughters, grandchildren, sisters, and friends will have no reason to fear a diagnosis of breast cancer. Together we can find a cure!”

Three days of fishing, three nights of merriment, and plenty of food were the order of the 1oth Annual PoonTangle held in Big Pine Key, Florida. Forty stalwart tarpon fishers gathered on May 7 & 8 for the fourth year of an event that involved not only plenty of fun and fishing, but fund-raising for the “good work” that Casting for Recovery does. Robert Brown and Jim Johnson, the co-hosts this year, reported that conditions were excellent, and that plans are already afoot for next year’s event.

Our thanks to all the stalwarts of PoonTangle for their continued generous support of Casting for Recovery’s mission of service to women!

Join the Mid-Atlantic CFR team for a cocktail reception and their second silent auction on Thursday, June 24, 6:30-8:30 p.m. in Alexandria, VA. Tickets at the door are $50.

View more here..

The Reel Women/Reel Men Club of Indiana really know how to come together to support CFR-Indiana. They met recently and decided to ask each of their club members to take a pledge form to work, neighbors, family and friends, and ask for their contribution to help keep CFR-Indiana going strong. Patti Beasley, of Reel Women/Reel Men reports that at their annual meeting they heard testimonials from two women who had participated in CFR, and were amazed to see and hear how significantly appreciative they were to have had the opportunity to be participants. “Let’s all pull together to ensure more women  get the same experience,” says Patti. “Our goal for this year is $5,000 and it will require our entire club to be involved and make this a reality. The deadline is June 28 . ..please get started and don’t delay!” Thanks, Patti, for helping CFR support more women in need of our services!

Barb Simpson speaks at annual Reel Women/Reel Men meeting

CFR-AZ is hosting a Bunco For Breast Cancer Survivors event on August 8 at the Mesa Hilton in Mesa, AZ, from 1-5 p.m. Fee is $25 and all profits go to CFR. Snack buffet provided. For more information contact  Donna at donna.fischer@bannerhealth.com or dfischersurvivor@gmail.com or by cell: 480-580-0766.

To All CFR-VT/NH participants, volunteers, and friends:  The Norris Cotton Cancer Center in Hanover, N.H., will present a free day of Healing Through Art, a program of inspirational words, images, and music in celebration of National Cancer Survivors Day on Sunday, June 1 from 12:00 - 3:30 pm at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. The Cancer Center event is one of over 700 celebrations taking place throughout North America as part of the 16th annual National Cancer Survivors Day, the world’s largest cancer survivor event. “We want to celebrate the amazing attitudes about life and living each day to the fullest that we see in our cancer patients and survivors,” says Deborah McTigue, NCSD coordinator at Norris Cotton Cancer Center.

CFR volunteers will participate in the Knoxville, Tennesse, Susan G. Komen’s Race for the Cure on October 30, 2010. Registration begins online June 1 at www.komenknoxville.org.  The Race for the Cure is a 5k-run/1-mile fitness walk to celebrate breast cancer survivors, raise funds, and promote awareness. It is a unique and joyful event of sport, solidarity, and fun for people of all ages and fitness levels who can run, walk, cheer, or just relax in the World’s Fair Park.

Call for Volunteers!
Seventh Annual Jamaica Bay Tournament to support Casting for Recovery

WHEN: Friday, May 14 and/or Saturday, May 15, 2010
(Rain Date May 16)

WHERE: Floyd Bennett Field (Jamaica Bay)

WHAT: On-Site Volunteers to help, have fun, and support CFR
  
We are looking for volunteers to help with the catch-and-release Kayak Fishing Tournament in Jamaica Bay (Floyd Bennett Field). This is an exciting and fun annual event that helps to raise dollars for Casting for Recovery: all tournament registration fees and other donations go to CFR. 

Anyone can help, and a family member or friend would like to join, please bring them along!

Dee Kelly is the CFR volunteer organizing this fundraiser, and she has details of the dates/times for volunteering, and can answer your questions. Please call her at 917-796-8930 or 917-796-8930.     

 
Dee needs help with:
-  Registration for the 300 tournament participants (on Friday)
-  Assisting with recording CFR donations
-  Helping with the fish TALLY and awarding of prizes
- Trouble shooting questions
-  Assisting with the raffles
-  Miscellaneous on-site needs
 
Participate for a couple of hours, or the whole day, it would be much appreciated and it’s a lot of fun! You don’t have to be a fly-fisher: birdwatching is great at this location, too! For the adventurous ones, there is free tent camping available right at the field. (Bring your tent.) Floyd Bennett Field is easy to get to from the LIE or Southern State Expressway.
 
For more information on the tournament, directions, and details on the location, visit this website.  

To watch the ESPN report on one of the earlier tournaments supporting Casting for Recovery, you can watch this YouTube video.

And please call Dee Kelly directly at 917-796-8930 or 917-796-8930  for more information or to volunteer!