09/08/2026
What an incredible four days in Eastern Oregon! 🎣
A group of our Project Healing Waters participants and volunteers had the opportunity to spend four amazing days together on a truly special river—an experience made possible by a generous donation from the KAJ Foundation.
A huge thank you to Bill & Carla Johnson, who created the foundation and made this trip possible. We’re incredibly grateful for your support of our veterans and our program.
We also owe a big thank you to Kori and Andy Frahm from the Boise chapter of Project Healing Waters, who spent all day Saturday sharing their home water with us—showing us where to fish, what to use, and how to get the best results. That kind of generosity and camaraderie is one of the things that makes the PHW community so special.
And the fishing? Outstanding. Huge browns and rainbows, plenty of bent rods, and a lot of smiling faces. Again and again, we heard people talking about the new tricks and techniques they had learned and how the trip had helped level up their fishing game.
But as good as the fishing was, that wasn't the best part.
Over four days together, you could see and feel the connections within the group getting stronger. Friendships were made, existing friendships grew deeper, and we shared the kind of experiences that stay with you long after you've left the river. That's what Project Healing Waters is all about.
Thank you also to Steve Lichtenberger, who tied a ton of flies specifically for these waters. They definitely got put to good use!
And perhaps the biggest shout-out goes to Val, who coordinated and planned the entire adventure. Trips like this don't just happen, and all of us who were fortunate enough to attend are grateful for the time and effort you put into making this one so meaningful.
There are A LOT of photos from this trip, and we couldn't fit them all here. If you have some that didn't make the post, please share them in the comments or send them our way. We'll get them into a follow-up post.
Great water. Great fishing. Great people. And four days we won't soon forget.
