GRACE, Gals Reeling Against Cancer Elegantly

The GRACE concept is:  Hank's Fly Fishing will take 6 women at a time who have little or no fly fishing experience and teach them the basics of fly fishing.  This instruction will include casting, entomology-the study of insects, knot tying, etc. and prepare them for an overnight trip to go fly fishing somewhere in Michigan.  Hank's will provide the equipment, if needed, and our vendors, local businesses and individuals donate the food and lodging needed for each GRACE trip.  At Hank's, we plan to have three GRACE events per year; in the springtime, summer and fall. 

We ask each participant to donate (tax deductible) $250.00.  This money will go to Reeling and Healing Midwest (www.reelingandhealing.org)and enable Hank's Fly Fishing to sponsor local cancer victims/survivors who want to attend a Reeling and Healing Midwest retreat.

Our last GRACE trip, July, 2006 was to the Jordan River, near Ellsworth Michigan.  Casting lessons were donated by Kristin Nichols of the Michigan Flygirls and our basic fly fishing instruction was donated by Dan Catau, author and fly fishing expert.  A pre-trip dinner was donated by Kruse'n Muer in Lake Orion and while up north, our food and gas was donated by Hank's Fly Fishing.  Frank and Cathy Rewold donated our lodging, the fly fishing gear was provided by both Reeling and Healing Midwest and Hank's.  Reeling and Healing Midwest also sent two volunteers who were fly fisher-women and breast cancer survivors to help us catch fish.... and catch fish we did!

We also have the GRACE Traveling Boots.  These are a pair of wader boots donated by Reeling and Healing Midwest that can be carried during any event that benefits cancer research.  Stop by our Lake Orion store to see them and hear their story.  These boots were carried in October, 2006 during the Making Strides walk on Belle Isle by 28 men, women and children who made up the GRACE team that Hank's sponsored.  We are planning to have another GRACE team participate in Lake Orion's Relay for Life, May 19 and 20, 2007.  Hank's Fly Fishing continues to support Reeling and Healing Midwest and other American Cancer Society efforts.

If you are interested in participating in one of our GRACE events, or are involved in organizing a cancer related event please go to our contact page and let us know.  Together we can make a difference.