The MayFly Project
August 2021
The Mayfly Project is a 501(c)(3) national organization that uses fly fishing as a catalyst to mentor and support children in foster care. The Mission of The Mayfly Project is to support children in foster care through fly fishing and introduce them to their local water ecosystems, with a hope that connecting them to a rewarding hobby will provide an opportunity for foster children to have fun, build confidence, and develop a meaningful connection with the outdoors.
The Mayfly Project was founded in Arkansas in 2015, by Jess and Laura Westbrook, and the National Program was founded in 2016 when they partnered with Kaitlin Barnhart, of Idaho. Jess Westbrook’s idea to use fly fishing as a tool to support children in foster care was derived from how he used fly fishing as a therapeutic tool to manage his own anxiety. Some say fly fishing can be meditative and causes the angler to forget their concerns as they focus in on their floating fly. For a foster child, taking a break from being worried and simply spending time in nature catching fish is essential.
Mission: to support children in foster care through fly fishing and introduce them to their local water ecosystems, with a hope that connecting them to a rewarding hobby will provide an opportunity for foster children to have fun, build confidence, and develop a meaningful connection with the outdoors.
Watch this video below to learn more about the story behind The Mayfly Project
Their Work:
Mentoring:
The Mayfly Project is committed to their 1:1 mentor ratio when working with children in foster care because they know they value time with their mentor, and it’s the most efficient way to teach fly fishing. The memories made by celebrating successes, working through wind knots together, and giving high fives after letting go a fish, all surmount to essential experiences for our mentees.
Conservation:
During each project outing the children they mentor participate in their Conservation Initiative. They teach the three C’s: Catch and Release, Clean Rivers, and Contamination. Our mentees join in a cycle of healing by taking care of the waters we are privileged to experience and the fish we are honored to catch and release.
Their Projects
The Mayfly Project’s standard program is to mentor a foster child through five sessions they call “stages”, just like the life cycle of a Mayfly. Within these stages, the children learn line management, casting techniques, knot tying, some etymology, river safety, mending tactics, hook setting, catch and release tactics, and the value of conservation. At the end of the five stages the child is gifted their own gear to continue to pursue fly fishing.
JOIN US IN SUPPORTING THE MAYFLY PROJECT
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
This month and every month, Wild Boyz Photography will be partnering with one nonprofit. 75% of any donations that we receive during the month will go to the nonprofit. Help The Mayfly Project continue their mission to support children in foster care through fly fishing and introduce them to their local water ecosystems, with a hope that connecting them to a rewarding hobby will provide an opportunity for foster children to have fun, build confidence, and develop a meaningful connection with the outdoors.