ROANOKE, Va. – The Mayfly Project is a 501(c)(3) national organization that uses fly fishing as a catalyst to mentor and support children in foster care.
The Mission of The Mayfly Project is to support children in foster care through fly fishing and introduce them to their local water ecosystems, with a hope that connecting them to a rewarding hobby will provide an opportunity for foster children to have fun, build confidence, and develop a meaningful connection with the outdoors.
Helen and Scott Barrier lead the Roanoke region group, where mentors teach children ages 8-18 how to fly fish from the very beginning.
“Nationally, most of the individuals that come into the program have never fly fished before. We have to introduce them, not only to fly fishing, but the fly rod, how to put it together, how to put the line on. Start to finish, we teach them everything,” said Scott.
When the kids finish the program, they get every piece of equipment they need to continue fly fishing.
“The purpose is to give them brain rest, to give them coping mechanisms other than what they might find in the day to day world,” Scott said. “Come out, learn a skill that they can practice their entire life from that point forward. Enjoy nature, enjoy the sound of the water. Be alone, be focused, be with someone they like, and enjoy being with perhaps, since they’re not alone, but just focusing on something that takes their mind away from their day to day cares.”
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Each child is paired up with at least two mentors, who have gone through training on the basics of fishing and working with kids that have experienced trauma - like children in the foster care system.
“I love working with kids. I train kids at my own business, and I’ve been fly fishing since I was 10 years old,” said Shane Schubert, one of the mentors with Roanoke Mayfly Project. “When I found out about the Mayfly Project, and it was working with kids that need us as adults, I couldn’t not do it.”
Seven children went through the program earlier this year, including Devin.
“It’s helped Devin and myself to kind of bond, in a way that gives him an opportunity to kind of teach me stuff. Normally, it’s me trying to teach him something, and the things that he has learned with this organization, he’s able to to teach me stuff that I’ve never, never would have dreamed of possible. Everything from how to tie a lure, how to cast. Those are things I thought I knew, but I didn’t,” said Devin’s foster dad, Carlos Persinger.
Skylar did not know what fly fishing was before he started with Mayfly.
“This has just been a great opportunity for him to release. Gives him enjoyment, gives him an opportunity to be himself, gives him a chance to kind of do his own thing. He can be that independent teenager that he needs to be,” said Sam Stump.
“The youth love the one-on-one time, and it makes me reflect on that all the time when we’re together with them. They’re used to going to school in a group. They’re used to maybe playing sports in a group, but being one on one to learn a skill and to have someone coach you through it is really special,” Helen said. “They responded to trusting adults, and that was just a beautiful part from the first meeting all the way through our fifth session, the relationships that were built along the way, and the skill set that was learned on both parties was just fantastic.”
When the kids catch their first fish, it’s a moment to remember.
“It can be scared, or it can be so much joy that you got to make sure they don’t drop the rod with the fish still on it. It’s just total excitement,” said Schubert.
But every single one of the mentors said this is more than just fly fishing.
“It’s the contact ability for those individuals that are participating, those young youth who are very influential, to have an adult that they can trust and depend on. Because one of the things we don’t want to do is let them down,” said Scott, who adds they never cancel a session even if there is bad weather. “They’ve had a lot of disappointments in their life, and we want to give them hope, give them some trust in adults, bring them here, show them that we care about them.”
There are limitations with this program. One of the big ones is making sure there are enough financial donations to sustain the program. It costs about $800 to put a child through the programs five sessions with the gear they need, including rods, reels, nets and flies.
The mentors and foster parents see big changes in the children.
“It’s, it’s amazing. They just they change. They go from a kid that’s struggling with things that we don’t have any idea, but you can see that in their face. And just before they leave, even on the first session, that’s been wiped off their face,” said Schubert.
Stump said Skylar gets to be at peace and relax while he is fishing and is finally content.
“We thought it was all about the fishing, and what we found out is that it’s all about the kids and the mentors and the community that is built around them to support them through a tough time that they’re going through.”
For the 2025 season that runs March-May, they hope to put 8-10 kids through the program. Mentors go through an application process that includes a background check.
If you want more information on the Mayfly Project or are interesting in donating, you can find information here or email Scott Barrier.
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