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Giving From the Heart Positively Impacts Others

Maybe You'd Like Come Help?

If you're contemplating volunteering with Reeling & Healing Midwest, we'd welcome your assistance at a retreat.

With so many years of retreats under our belt, we have a pretty good feel and number of systems in place for making the nuances of a retreat come off without a glitch.  If you add some great volunteers, everything comes together for a successful retreat experience.  All of our 2-1/2 day retreats require volunteers for the following positions:  River Guides, Kitchen/Land Helpers, and One-Day Helpers.  Each retreat's team of volunteers works together, in any capacity required, to create a safe, secure, and enjoyable environment for our retreat participants.

Here are a few things to know off the bat…

  • You're not required to be a cancer survivor to be a volunteer.

  • You're required to volunteer from your heart, not your ego.

  • You must be in good health and physically capable to attend the retreat and assist in the capacity anticipated.

  • You're not required to be a certified fly fisher or casting instructor, or licensed guide to be a river guide at a retreat.

  • If you want to be a river guide, you'd better know a thing or two about fly fishing for trout, casting, and how to add leaders, tippet and flies onto the fly line and leader.

  • You're required to be a Wing Fluffer, not a Wing Clipper.

  • You should prefer to be on an A-Team, not a B-Team.

  • You're required to provide the best customer service possible to the women attending the retreat. Manners are important.

  • You're required to work as a team member with all volunteers at the retreat.

A Few Reasons to Join Us

Why would you not want to volunteer? It's FUN, life-changing, exciting, non-stop teamwork that challenges you on many levels.  You have the opportunity to help others, be outside, spread some joy, assist some wonderful women, learn a few lessons, and so much more.

Who Helps?

Adults from every demographic volunteer with us.  All ages, professions, race, and religions, from many different locations in the United States, and even Canada.  Some are cancer survivors, others are not. Many of their lives have been impacted by cancer in some way and they are aware of the havoc a cancer diagnosis may bring to the individual diagnosed, as well as their family and caretakers. 

So What Next?

If you’ve volunteered in the past, click here.

If you're new to the organization and interested in assisting at a retreat, feel free to fill out the form on this page, send an email, or leave a voice mail at 616-855-4017.  After your query is received, one of our retreat volunteers will be in touch to discuss the retreat opportunities and answer all your questions.  In the meantime, you can complete the registration packet.  Just click the button below to start the process.

I Would Like Information About Volunteering

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One Volunteer's Experience

How did I become involved?  I read an article in the local paper and called the coordinator.  After a phone interview I offered to assist with instruction, guiding, and anything else they’d need assistance with at the retreat.  I was given the OK to make the journey to the retreat location and instructed to be ready to help when I arrived.  I wasn’t a cancer survivor, I’d never fished the river the retreat was being held at, and I didn’t know anyone except the woman I spoke with on the phone.  But I knew I enjoyed teaching fly fishing, loved the river, was ready for an adventure, and somewhere in my gut, I knew I’d be OK with whatever was to transpire. I innately knew it would change my life.  And it did, and continues to do so, even after volunteering for 19 years.
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