YARMOUTH – Over 50 wounded veterans and their guests will take to the waters around Cape Cod this Saturday as part of Operation Reel Heroes.
The effort provides the guests with an opportunity to relax and enjoy a fishing trip which starts in the Bass River and tours Nantucket and Vineyard sound.
Organizer Arthur Johnson said the idea snowballed with increasing numbers of interested captains willing to give back to those who have served.
“We had some guys last year that really suffered with a lot of depression and PTSD,” he said. “We don’t try to overload the boats, so that way the captain has an intimate experience with the veterans and they actually become friends.”
The visitors will arrive on Friday, June 3rd from the Wounded Warrior Project. The organization has agreed to house them locally for the entire weekend.
They’ll be treated to a captain’s welcome on Friday night, ahead of a long day of fishing the following day.
After all the sportsmanship, they’ll be treated to a lobster dinner at Skippy’s Pier 1 restaurant.
Johnson said there were many participants last year who wished to return, but the project tries to expand to serve as many veterans as possible.
The veterans aren’t the only ones whose lives change as a result of the event, Johnson said.
“We’ve made lifelong friends with these veterans, and we stay in touch with them on a weekly basis,” he said.
Johnson said 43 boats will be used for the excursion, mostly skippered by local captains.
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