Iowa DNR ends sponsorship of disabled veterans fishing trip

Eldon Miller, who grew up cane pole fishing as a farm boy, looks forward each year to the Veterans Casting Away Disabilities fishing event at Southern Iowa’s Lake Rathbun.

Blinded by an explosion in the Vietnam War, Miller, 71, of Kalona, cherishes the week on the water, catching fish and meeting up with other disabled veterans from Iowa and surrounding states.

“I'm a housebound vet,” Miller said. "This is the time I get to go out and enjoy life like everyone else.“

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has been a sponsor of the therapeutic fishing event for six years after persuading the nonprofit Veterans Casting Away Disabilities group to bring the event from Minnesota to the Honey Creek Resort, home to Lake Rathbun near Moravia, nonprofit leaders said. State conservation officers have helped veterans enter and exit boats, filleted the fish caught by veterans and helped veterans sign up for fishing licenses.

But this year, Iowa DNR Director Kayla Lyon told organizers she no longer will let conservation officers or other department employees spend as much paid time at the event, and asked organizers to remove the Iowa DNR’s name and logo from all marketing materials, boat trailers and other equipment associated with the event.

“I had called her, inviting them to come to our event,” Karen Fynaardt, a board member for the nonprofit group, said about her phone conversation with Lyon. “I was wanting to know if we could have four to six people a day come help. She says, ‘nope, we’re not going to participate. And there’s really no reason to have a meeting’ with us.”

  Buy Photo

The Iowa DNR’s legislative liaison, Todd Coffelt, sent an email Feb. 16 to Senate Minority Leader Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, when she asked him about the decision.

“The department is continuously evaluating the best use of staff and its resources,” Coffelt wrote. “While the department wishes it could fully participate in every worthwhile event it is asked to support, it is not feasible. Other volunteer-driven events, such as Project AWARE, Women in Natural Resources, and many more, are treated the same, with staff participating on their own time. Employees can choose where to volunteer their time and we encourage them to do so.”

Coffelt suggested the Department of Veterans Affairs could provide educational programming on the fishing trip. Iowa DNR spokeswoman Tammie Krausman said in an email to The Gazette this week the department still is available to “provide educational presentations and conservation information.”

Jochum told the nonprofit the agency is facing budget challenges. State appropriations to the Iowa DNR have been flat for the last several years.

“Clearly, the decision has nothing to do with the value of your program,” she wrote. “There’s a good chance they simply no longer have the staff and the Dept of Administrative Services is now responsible for the management of Honey Creek Resort.”

Achieva Enterprises last spring was named the new concessionaire for Honey Creek.

Event provides fishing, respite for caregivers

Kirt Sickels, a Navy veteran, has been planning the annual fishing trip for veterans for 27 years, first as an employee with Veterans Affairs and now as a director of Veterans Casting Away Disabilities. This year, the group has 46 veterans and 31 caregivers signed up for the trip May 12-19.

More than 20 volunteers — including Iowa’s first gentleman Kevin Reynolds in past years — bring their pontoons and fishing boats so veterans can go out and fish on Lake Rathbun. One man, a triple amputee, designed a fishing pole that hooks to his wheelchair with a reel on his arm rest, Sickels said. The nonprofit has other adaptive equipment, such as poles that vibrate or beep for people with visual impairment.

“It just depends on the veteran and the veteran’s needs,” he said.

Some years ago, a young Iraqi War veteran was struggling at home in Waterloo and his parents convinced him to go on the fishing trip, Sickels said. “It was hard to get him to participate early in the week, but by the end of the week it was a complete turnaround. Now he's a poster child for us.”

While veterans fish, the nonprofit hosts activities including a shopping trip, crafts or pedicures for spouses or other caregivers. The nonprofit raises money to pay for lodging and meals at the state-owned Honey Creek Resort and also pays for Iowa fishing licenses for the veterans.

Nonprofit needs more volunteers

Without the help of Iowa DNR employees, Veterans Casting Away Disabilities needs to recruit more volunteers with fishing and boat safety experience, Sickels said. It also had the expense of removing the department’s logo from a boat trailer and marketing materials.

Krausman forwarded to The Gazette an email that Todd Jacobus, commandant of the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, sent to Sickels and another fishing trip organizer, writing that they could communicate their volunteer needs to the Commission of Veterans Affairs. The commission has approved nearly $5,500 to pay for two dinners during the weeklong program, Jacobus said.

If you are interested in helping disabled veterans board boats safely or volunteering in another way, contact the nonprofit at castwaysboard@gmail.com. You also may donate to the program at the group’s website.

Comments: (319) 339-3157; erin.jordan@thegazette.com