It takes a great deal of effort to run the Northern Virginia Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Many of our Officers, Committee Chairs and members spend countless hours planning, organizing, directing, and controlling what takes place for our members and between the public and other chapters. The volunteer opportunities are described below and are divided by Chapter Opportunities, Stream Projects, and Youth Programs. To volunteer, contact our Officers or Committee Chairs. Or let us know your interests by filling out and mailing the Volunteer and Donation Form. It is a truly rewarding way to give back!
If you are not already a member, please do your part and become an active member by coming to our first Thursday of the month Chapter Meetings or E-mail Membership Chair.
We always need people to help as Officers, Committee Chairs, and other various roles in the organization. For example, we currently need someone to help organize our next banquet. This is a major fundraising event for us, and since we did not have one this year, we were forced solicit donations for attending FWAM trips and tune-ups. You can help! If you want to become involved, approach one of the chapter officers or current committee chairs at a meeting and let them know how you're willing to assist.
The fact that we lack our own cold water streams hasn't prevented the Northern Virginia chapter from working with other chapters on their conservation projects or from having projects to help people in its chapter area. Under the leadership of Stream Projects Chair, the Northern Virginia chapter works with other chapters in Virginia and Pennsylvania on stream restoration projects. Two of our members have attended a special week-long stream restoration seminar to enhance our ability to fulfill our primary obligation as a Trout Unlimited chapter. Within our chapter area and working with the Fairfax County Park Authority, the Northern Virginia chapter recently built an access pier just downstream of the dam at Lake Accotink Park so people with disabilities can experience the joy of trout fishing on a local put-and-take stream our members help stock. Additional volunteer opportunities and student community service hours, as well as Eagle Scout project ideas are provided by Friends of Accotink Creek.
|
Below, chapter volunteers Barry Fry, Bob Betts, Suzanne Malone
and Howard Olsen pose
Northern Virginia Chapter Trout Unlimited assists City of Herndon with their annual Herndon Annual Kids Fishing Derby, which is usually on Saturday, mid-March, 7am - noon, at Sugarland Run Stream, located off Herndon Parkway. Herndon provides all the equipment (poles, tackle, bait, etc.), but you are welcome to bring your own. Our volunteers help the kids get started; clean thier catch, etc. Herndon stocks the stream with Brown trout, and even put in a few "Champion" fish, that, when caught, earn a prize! Our members also assist the Arlington County Park Department in clean up and trout stocking of Four Mile Run in preparation of the annual "Kids Only Opening Day", mid-March, in Bonair Park. Members assist new fishermen and their parents in rigging up their new fishing rods - fresh out of the package, and providing assistance in where and how to fish. Some of our members have taken special courses run by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) to train instructors so they can teach people how to fish. Taking that a step further, our members are leaders in annual "Kids Fishing Day" held in Alexandria in June. Again working with DGIF, the U.S. Interior Department, and the Alexandria Kiwanis Club, our members help kids get ready for a day of catfishing at a local impoundment. Many of these kids, typically from low-income families, have never fished a day in their lives yet after a few hours of instruction their going after catfish provided by VDGIF. There"s even a fileting table setup so they can take their catch home for supper. |
after helping with camp Special Love, a camp for families of, and children with, cancer
and HIV/AIDS held at the 4-H Center in Front Royal, VA.
Fly-fishing is offered through the combined efforts of
wonderful volunteers from several TU chapters, Rapidan,
Northern Shenandoah and the Northern Virginia.