THE PINK BOAT In 2010 a group of fly-fishing industry anglers created Rowing for a Cure to raise funding for individuals battling breast cancer. The goal was to build a pink drift boat that guides can row throughout Montana and Idaho. This would raise awareness for breast cancer, as well as to raise funding through donations placed in a drop box in the boat. Participating guides could then pass the boat to other guides, and the boat would travel on it’s own. In fact, oftentimes we do not even know where the pink boat is!
The pink boat sponsors are Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, Patagonia River Guides, Fay Ranches, Whitney McDowell, and RO Drift boats who actually built and maintains the boat. These individuals created the concept, funding the building of the boat, and her itinerary. Robert Eddins from Ro Drift Boats has been a huge help with the annual maintenance to ensure the boat is in working order and is extra pink! This past season the boat received a new paint job that included a bolder color scheme and flowers.
The boat has raised over $20,250.00 over the past six years! This funding goes directly to the Yellow Dog Community and Conservation Foundation, and then the majority of the donation is dispersed to Casting for Recovery. The mission of Casting for Recovery® (CfR) is to enhance the quality of life of women with breast cancer through a unique program that combines breast cancer education and peer support with the therapeutic sport of fly fishing.
The retreats offer opportunities for women to find inspiration, discover renewed energy for life and experience healing connections with other women and nature. CfR’s retreats are open to breast cancer survivors of all ages, in all stages of treatment and recovery and are free to participate.
The Pink Boat is named Judy, which is after Yellow Dog’s own Ian Davis’s mother who passed away from breast cancer. Click here to learn more about the Pink Boat, or to make a direct donation through the Yellow Dog Community and Conservation Foundation at www.ydccf.com.
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