2009-03-17 : “It's More Than the Iditarod”

Mar 17, 2009

It's More Than the Iditarod


During this past year's election season we all learned a great deal about the state of Alaska-its politics and its natural beauty. We never realized that we would shortly develop our own personal connection to the state. Earlier this year we wrote about the fine work being done by an organization called Casting For Recovery which was founded in 1996 with the goal of helping breast cancer survivors recover, both physically and emotionally, through the unique benefits of fly-fishing...a sport which uses just those muscles most affected by breast cancer surgery. Couple the physical benefits with a weekend retreat in a beautiful natural setting, surrounded not only by other women experiencing the very same turmoil, but also a group of volunteers committed in every way to making the event transformative, and you have a very special experience that can truly change everyone who takes part.

While we whole-heartedly support the CFR program and are thrilled by the fact that it has grown so successfully since its inception, the Good People Fund is committed to helping organizations that are a less established and more grass-roots in origin. The question then becomes...how do we publicize and promote a program that we believe is one of the best of its kind for breast cancer survivors and still remain within our own guidelines?

It did not take us long to come up with a solution to this problem. CFR has chapters all over the country, many of them small and struggling to raise the funds necessary for their own local fly-fishing retreat. They are run by local women, many of whom have been touched by breast cancer and are either in active treatment or some years beyond their initial diagnosis. Who could use a little help in their fund-raising? After some initial conversations with CFR's staff, the group in Alaska was identified as a potential match for us...and what a group it is! With a strong and active foundation of women who are all avid fly-fisherwomen, we know that the Alaska chapter will hold a successful retreat in what is probably the most beautiful natural surroundings to be found in this country. Our challenge to the group was that we would match up to $2500 of "new money" they raise between now and their July retreat. The women I was in touch with were thrilled with the challenge and before long I received word of several fund-raisers being planned to help meet their goal. Now-if we could only find a way to get to Alaska to be part of the retreat...