Our Projects and Initiatives
If each member volunteered ONCE during the calendar year we'd be in incredible shape. It could be mentoring a youth during a Stream Explorer Outing, teaching a vet how to tie a soft hackle at the VA one evening for an hour, staff our table at the Fair for a few hours one day in the summer or help to plant some trees along the Wiscoy for a couple hours. With our membership base, if folks were to pick an event and help out once a year we wouldn't know what to do with it all!
We always have a large list of volunteer opportunities. Whether you are a community or scout group looking for community service hours or someone who is just looking to give back. You do not have to be a Trout Unlimited member, just have a willingness to do some good work for your community. Here are a few of the opportunities we currently have open with more coming all the time.
We're also brainstorming ways to thank and recognize the contributions made by our members and board leaders for the great work they do. More to come on that!
ALL VOLUNTEER EVENTS WILL APPEAR ON THE CHAPTER EVENT CALENDAR
Going into year three, we’re proud to continue our Stream Explorers youth group in 2025. This hands-on event series is family friendly, free and open to the public through the Western New York Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
Throughout the course of the year we’ll teach you the basics of fly fishing, casting, fly tying, Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics as well as Keep Fish Wet catch and release techniques. We work with local professional anglers and guides as well as conservation professionals from NYS DEC and the decades of local knowledge possessed by our members who love nothing better than helping to shape the responsible anglers and conservationists of tomorrow.
How YOU Can Help
Each event is 2-3 hours. If you're interested in sharing your knowledge with young anglers, please contact Jim Jowsey at outreach@WNYtroutunlimited.org. you don't have to sign up for all the events, any assistance you can offer would be most appreciated.
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. Began In 2005 Serving Wounded Military Service Members At Walter Reed Army Medical Center Returning From Combat In Iraq And Afghanistan. Since Then, PHW Has Expanded Nationwide, Establishing Its Highly Successful Program In Department Of Defense Hospitals, Warrior Transition Units, And Veterans Affairs Medical Centers And Clinics.
We are currently running the Project Healing Waters program at the Buffalo Veterans Administration hospital on Bailey. The program is currently an hour long monthly fly tying class for the area's veterans. All materials are provided, but you're welcome to bring your own tools if you're more comfortable doing so.
How YOU Can Help
Please contact Ken Kinecki at ken.kinecki@gmail.com if you would be interested in helping teach some of our area veterans a rewarding new passion.
Trout in the Classroom Mostly at the beginning of each school year
Trout Unlimited is just one of many organizations facilitating this program across the country. A mix of NGO and government agency support brings this environmental education program into schools in around 35 states. Over 5,000 classrooms participate annually.
We currently assist over a dozen schools all over the counties of Western New York bring this program to their students by providing them with equipment, materials and support.
How YOU Can Help
Visit www.troutintheclassroom.org for more information about the program or Email Chuck Godfrey at troutintheclassroom@wnytroutunlimited.org to get involved locally! Most of the help we need is running around to the different schools, delivering trout eggs at the beginning of the school year, helping to take care of a broken chiller from time to time.Fly Tying Ongoing
Selling flies tied by our members is one of our longest standing fundraisers for the chapter. Folks come from all around every year to the fair and other events, seeking us out to replenish their fly boxes. It's actually a pretty amazing thing to see. If you would be willing to tie us a dozen or so flies to donate to the chapter we would be eternally grateful. Contact shows chair Brian Barrey at bazzbozz@gmail.com to find out what we're low on or to arrange pickup.
How YOU Can Help
Tie up a dozen or two flies and donate them!
DEC Habitat and Citizen Science Projects Various days and times
When the weather get nicer we are always involved in habitat and stream restoration projects with the DEC and other local partners. Most of these projects involve getting a bit dirty or wet and a shovel of some sort. Otherwise known as having a blast outdoors. We'll let you know when these opportunities come up.
Most of these events involve a little bull work, planting trees, sloshing around in your waders, basic carpentry, etc... We'll usually post these opportunities in the events calendar on the website and in our e-newsletter. Just sign up and show up! Many hands make light work.
We're always looking for a few people to help with things like kids fly tying an casting activities, setup, teardown, selling a few flies and generally serving as an ambassador for WNYTU for a few hours. Please contact shows chair, Brian Barrey at bazzbozz@gmail.com if you can help us out or sign up on the event calendar!
Also...
We are required to track volunteer hours to send to TU National. We've developed this simple tool that we ask folks fill out monthly to report their volunteer hours. CLICK HERE for the online form. Thanks!