Rivers of Recovery started our journey in Dutch John, Utah, back in 2008. Now, 10 years later, our program has grown to 14 states and served thousands of U.S. wounded combat veterans.

Rivers of Recovery, Oregon 2017

We’re celebrating 10 years of Rivers of Recovery, and looking forward to many more.

We’re not done yet. The more we do this work, the more we realize there’s so much more to do.

In 2018 we plan to add trips in two more states, bringing us to a presence in a total of 16 states. While we’re still small compared to many nonprofits, our resourcefulness and tenacity has helped us make a big impact for our wounded combat veterans with PTS and physical disabilities.

But the real story is the veterans we’ve worked with—the thousands we’ve served in our 10 years and many more we hope to reach this year and beyond.

It’s Much More Than a Fishing Trip

Our proudest accomplishment is helping address the invisible wounds of war and the growing suicide rate among our servicemen and women.

Rivers of Recovery, Oregon 2017

Everything we’ve achieved was possible because of your support.

We believed so strongly in our program, we did some research to prove it. Our findings suggested that the retreat experience was linked to a significant reduction in daily cortisol production when comparing the first and second days of fly fishing, attesting to the calming effects of the trip as a whole.

“Given the demonstrated and replicated findings pertaining to the psychosocial assessments, it is evident that this mode of outdoor recreation therapy predicts significant and sustained improvements in psychosocial wellness,” was the conclusion of our final report.

We plan on continuing this research in 2018, using the results to continue helping the military veterans we serve.

The results aren’t surprising to anyone who’s been on an RoR trip. Participants, family members, volunteers, and supporters can attest to the transformations that happen on the river. (Spend some time on a Rivers of Recovery trip in this video to see for yourself.)

You Made It Possible

Everything we’ve achieved in the last 10 years was possible because of your support. Our anniversary is as much your accomplishment as ours.

Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our wounded combat veterans. They’ve given so much to our country. Your support helps us give back.

Are you an RoR alumni? Supporter? Volunteer? Family member? Share your experience in the comments. We want to hear your story—and we want everyone else to hear it too.