By Pepper Fisher
SEQUIM – Thanks to the generosity of a network of fishing guides and commercial fishermen, hundreds of military veterans each year get the chance to go deep sea fishing in our area at no cost to themselves.
The Sequim Chapter of Salmon for Soldiers, which formed about 5 years ago, takes veterans on what for many are once-in-a-lifetime trips in pursuit of halibut, salmon and more.
The program is growing each year, with nearly 50 veterans going out for halibut already this season and, according to volunteer Mark Ostroot, a whole lot more booked for salmon trips in August.
“We have a big, huge event coming up in August in Sekiu where we’re working with about 30 volunteer skipper’s and we’re looking to take about 65-plus veterans out on the water for a day of salmon fishing. And that’s on August 15th. And then on August 21st, we have the Day of Honor, and that’s at the Port of Everett. That’s about a hundred-plus volunteer boaters taking about 400 veterans out. So those are the two major events.”
The veterans are never charged a dime. All expenses are covered by Salmon for Soldiers and the individual skippers, including fishing licenses. For some, it’s an experience they could otherwise not afford. Everyone comes home with a share of the day’s catch, but Ostroot says it’s about much more than putting a few fillets in the freezer.
“The more we talk amongst the volunteers that do this all the time, the more we realize it’s less and less about fishing. It’s about relaxation, it’s about the camaraderie, it’s about getting away, taking their mind off of things. And certainly there are some of these veterans, that these types of bucket list trips are out of reach financially for them. And some of them, maybe, financially not out of reach, but they just simply need an extended invitation and to see that, ‘Hey, people have done this in the past and it’s pretty simple.’ And we do everything we can to make it really easy for these guys.”
Thanks to donations, the funds are in place for this season’s events, but that’s about it. The Sequim chapter of Salmon For Soldiers has just set up a GoFundMe page (click here) with the goal of raising $10,000 so they can take 200 local veterans on fishing trips next year.
“So, everything that we’re doing in this fundraiser is specifically for the Olympic Peninsula for 2022. We’re making a goal of doubling what we did this year and get twice as many veterans out in 2022.”
To learn more, check them out on Facebook at Sequim Salmon4Soldiers.
(Photos from Sequim Salmon For Soldiers Facebook page)