Valley Outdoors and Crowley Fish Foundation Team with Two Wolf Foundation for Veterans Fly Fishing at Crowley Lake

Valley Outdoors and Crowley Fish Foundation Team with Two Wolf Foundation for Veterans Fly Fishing at Crowley Lake

On Tuesday, August 6, local Eastern Sierra based organizations Valley Outdoors and Crowley Fish Foundation teamed up with Two Wolf Foundation to take five veterans out on Crowley Lake for a morning of fly fishing.

Two Wolf Foundation is a Montana-based non-profit that’s dedicated to reintegrating veterans back into society through outdoor based projects. Two Wolf supports vets by giving combat vets purpose and direction through land stewardship work. The organization provides guidance to vets on their journey back into mainstream society while encouraging sobriety and clear mindfulness. Far too many veterans unfortunately fall into alcohol or drug addictions, and suicidal thoughts dealing with the post-tramatic stress of their service, all while trying to regain purpose of existence into society back in the home country after service. Two Wolf Foundation founder Brian Flynn started the organization partly because after having lost a good friend – a vet – to suicide, he recognized how important it is to help vets. Two Wolf works with land management agencies throughout the nation to partake in projects that give vets a few days to reconnect with nature, and do good work. It is a bonding experience based on teamwork, purpose, sobriety, and sunlight. It is a positive organization doing really great things. Two Wolf originally partnered up with Valley Outdoors to reroof a USFS cabin in Monache Meadows, but due to the current fires in the Southern Sierra that project is being tabled for later. Let’s hope the cabin survives the forest fire. Hence, the five vets on their trip to Mammoth are doing projects closer to the Mammoth and Bishop areas. This trip also made for a good excuse to spend a morning out on the glorious waters of Crowley Lake.

Crowley Fish Foundation board members took five vets out on their boats on Crowley Lake for a beautiful, blue and windless morning. Local guides Ernie Gulley, Joe Contaldi, and Andre Nersesian were joined by Mammoth local Hodges “Fish Kisser” Glass to put these vets on trout for the morning. While the bite has slowed down a little on the lake, all four volunteers brought joy to the group traveling down from Montana for a day of “R and R” by putting all of them on multiple fish. Still a lot of bent rods and good conversation. All fish were returned to the water. It was a great day for everyone involved. A big thank you goes out to the CFF board members who volunteered their morning to give to those who have given more than most – our cherished vets. The five vets no doubt had some fish stories to share under the stars back at camp on Tuesday night.

Two Wolf Foundation isn’t heading out of town without leaving the Eastern Sierra better than they found it. On Wednesday, they teamed up with Valley Outdoors to work on road rehabilitation by Crestview and Deadman’s. The team was enthusiastic to move rocks and vertical mulch with Michael Lueders of Valley Outdoors. Our local USFS agent Adam Leidy was directing Two Wolf Foundation on the projects out here. The few days here was a multiagency event.

It’s pretty cool to see three very respectable organizations team up to help our vets while also making the forest a better place. Brian Flynn of Two Wolf Foundation can be contacted at 406.499.9604. Michael Lueders of Valley Outdoors is at 707.217.5247. Discussions for Crowley Fish Foundation can be directed to Chris Leonard at 818.288.3271.

— Chris Leonard

News Staff