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 aquatic ecosystem, with the hope that connecting them to a rewarding hobby will give foster children an opportunity to have fun, build confidence and develop a meaningful connection with nature.

Helen and Scott Barrier lead the Roanoke regional group, where mentors teach kids ages 8-18 how to fly fish from scratch.

“Nationally, most 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” , Scott said.

When the kids finish the program, they get all the equipment they need to continue fly fishing.

“The purpose is to give them a break in the brain, to give them different coping mechanisms than what they might find in the day-to-day world,” Scott said. “Come out, learn a skill that they can practice for a lifetime 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 maybe, because they are not alone, but just focus on something that takes their mind off their daily worries.”

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Each child is paired with at least two mentors, who have undergone training in the basics of fishing and working with children who have experienced trauma – such as children in the foster care system.

“I love working with kids. I train kids in my own business and I’ve been fly fishing since I was 10 years old,” said Shane Schubert, one of the mentors with the Roanoke Mayfly Project. “When I found out about the Mayfly Project, and it was working with children who need us as adults, I couldn’t do it.”

Seven kids went through the program earlier this year, including Devin.

“It’s helped Devin and myself bond, in a way that gives him an opportunity to learn things. Normally, I’m the one trying to teach him something, and the things that he’s learned with this organization, he can learning things that I never, ever would have dreamed possible. Everything from how to tie a move, how to throw. These are things I thought I knew, but I didn’t,” said Devin’s foster father, Carlos Persinger.

Skylar didn’t know what fly fishing was before he started Mayfly.

“This has just been a great opportunity for him to let loose. 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, says Sam Stump.

“The young people love the one-on-one time, and it makes me reflect on that all the time when we are with them. They are used to going to school in groups. They’re used to maybe playing sports in a group, but to be one on one to learn a skill and have someone coach you through it is really special, says Helen. “They responded to trusting adults, and it 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 skills that both parties learned were absolutely amazing.”

When the kids catch their first fish, it’s a moment to remember.

“It can be scared, or it can be so happy that you have to make sure they don’t drop the rod with the fish still on it. It’s just total excitement,” Schubert said.

But every single one of the mentors said this is more than just fly fishing.

“It’s the relatability for the individuals who participate, the young youth who are very influential, to have an adult that they can trust and rely on. Because one of the things we don’t want to do is let them down, says Scott, who adds that they never cancel a session even if the weather is bad. “They’ve had a lot of disappointments in their life, and we want to give them hope, give them some confidence 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 equipment 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 change. They come from a kid struggling with things that we have no idea about, but you can see it in their face. And right before they go, even in the first session, has it wiped off their face,” Schubert said.

Stump said that Skylar can be left alone and relax while he fishes and is finally satisfied.

“We thought it was all about the fishing, and what we found out is that it’s about the kids and the mentors and the community that’s built around them to support them through a tough time that they’re going through.”

For the 2025 season which 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 would like more information about the Mayfly project or are interested in donating, you can find information here or email Scott Barrier.

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