Ice Fishing
Winters in Maine can be magical but with veterans living with PTSD &/or TBI it can be dark and lonely. Our mission is to get veterans out often and with our various ice fishing events we have been successful. We have several ice shacks for warming up including one that is disability accessible. We provide the traps and bait.
Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife honor Veterans
In January (If weather cooperates), Maine Game Wardens and OROL collaborate annually to honor veterans at Otter Pond in Standish, Maine. OROL provides the traps and bait as well as making sure our hungry fishermen/women and Game Wardens have food & drinks available!
Bass Fishing Day
For several years now, the beginning of summer brought the local Bass Club and avid anglers together at Watchic Lake in Standish, Maine to take the OROL group out on a bass fishing adventure. At lunchtime everyone gathers at the Kiwanis Beach and exchange fishing stories over hotdogs and burgers provided by OROL.
Patty’s Pontoon Day
As summer winds down, many captains in the Sebago Lakes region meet up at Long Beach Marina and donate several hours to veterans and their families for some leisure time on the water. When the boats return to the marina, burgers and hotdogs are available thanks to OROL volunteers.
“I’m a retired 20 year Navy Veteran with 100% disability. I have worked several odd jobs over the last 10 years. I’ve found Jim and Orol through facebook and went to an ice fishing event back in 2020. I was working a job last year and was fired and I felt like a failure. Coming to coffee and conversation with the veterans helped to bring me out of that tough spot. Going on the fishing expeditions and hunting with fellow veterans has been great. I have severe depression and anxiety and coming to these events really helps to get me out of my own head and into the real world. If I did not have this to look forward to I’m not sure where I would be. I thank OROL for all their support.” ~ Brian G. USN Veteran
“My husband served 35 years in the Army and just retired 6 months ago. He started ice fishing alone 4 years ago. I found (thankfully) Operation Ray of Light on FB. I reached out to Jim to introduce my husband. He’s been ice fishing, night cusk fishing and spring boat fishing. I am grateful to OROL for all the time and effort they put in to helping veterans” ~ Melissa N. Veteran’s Spouse