August Member of the Month: Whitney Milhoan, Casting for Recovery

Casting for Recovery was founded in 1996, based around the idea that fly fishing experiences can be incredibly healing. I think we can all attest. Learning to cast a fly rod is a gentle, accessible way to experience an authentic connection with nature, which makes it ideal for women of all ages and in any stage of treatment or recovery from breast cancer. We always say that fly fishing is like a forced practice in meditation – between the knots, line, fly, wind, and sights/sounds of the natural world, pretty soon our participants realize they haven’t thought about cancer for an hour. This might not seem like much, but it’s pretty powerful for the women who live with the challenges of breast cancer on a daily basis. I started as a volunteer fishing instructor for Casting for Recovery, and came on board as the executive director four years ago. I’ve spent the past decade working for nonprofits focussed on the healing properties of the outdoors.

What got you into fishing — and what keeps you involved today?
My sister Hilary learned to fly fish when we were in junior high school in the Flathead Valley. She and I really fell in love with fishing in highschool, and both went on to guide for Glacier Anglers/Glacier Raft Co for many years. My best days are on the river, and what keeps me involved today is introducing that magic to my kids. Hahaha, just kidding. It’s not about my kids at all, I just really, really like catching fish.

Favorite place to fish?
Middle Fork of the Flathead River, Montana.

How has AFFTA membership benefitted you?
There are two things I love most about Casting for Recovery’s AFFTA membership. The first is community. AFFTA has done an incredible job of building strong relationships within the fishing industry. These relationships go beyond industry contacts;  AFFTA members truly get to know one another and support each other. Second, AFFTA has become my go-to for staying informed and getting involved in important issues impacting our sport and our environment. This has been a huge help in trying to navigate policy, crucial environmental and access issues, and what we can do to help.

What’s one thing you wish AFFTA members knew about your business?
Casting for Recovery runs entirely on donations. So many AFFTA members have been supportive of our mission, so I’d really just like to relay a huge, heartfelt thank you. Not cheesy, I mean it!

When you’re not in the office, what are you most likely to be found doing?
When I’m not in the office I’m chasing my family down ski slopes, up mountains, and through cold, clear streams.