Chad Brown, decorated US Navy veteran who received multiple honors after serving in Desert Storm Gulf War and

Operation Restore Hope, Somalia, struggles today with PTSD. The illness nearly drove him to suicide before he found solace

in fly fishing. Brown’s discovery of nature as medicine inspired him to launch Soul River, Inc., a nonprofit that aims to share

the healing power of rivers with veterans and inner-city youth. Soul River Inc. has held successful deployments taking youth

and veterans on local rivers in Oregon, Washington, and to far off destinations into Alaska and the Arctic National Wildlife

Refuge. These opportunities promote healing and learning through many facets of outdoors education while breaking

barriers and building new communities. Today, Brown runs a non profit named Soul River Inc. as

Founder and President. His work has taken him across the country, including multiple times to our nation’s capital, to

speak about connecting people, particularly youth of color, to the outdoors. Additionally, Brown has presented to key city leaders, state representatives, and officials about diversity,

conservation, and building collaborative relationships between non-profit and for-profit businesses. Brown also sits on the National Wildlife Refuge Association’s Board of Directors.

Bob Tovar has volunteered to tie “Midge Patterns” for our September 17 monthly meeting