Common Ground with Warriors & Quiet Waters

The Vista Outdoor Foundation is supporting 12 nonprofit organizations in Fiscal Year 2023. These organizations represent a cross section of outdoor and recreational causes.

Common Ground is a deep dive into each of these organizations to tell the story of our partners, what is behind their mission and how each partner is using the grant.

This month's Common Ground feature highlights Warriors & Quiet Waters.

Warriors & Quiet Waters | Bozeman, MT

Website: https://warriorsandquietwaters.org/

Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation Mission
To enable post-9/11 combat veterans and their loved ones to thrive and find peace, meaning and purpose through fly fishing and other inspirational activities in nature.

Why Warriors & Quiet Waters?
Warriors & Quiet Waters is a natural fit for Vista Outdoor Foundation's grant program. A pillar of the Vista Outdoor Foundation is supporting veterans when they return from service, which is the focus of Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation.

"Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation supports veterans through a broad group of thoughtfully designed programs," said Diane Bristol, Vice President, Community & Culture at Simms, and member of the Vista Outdoor Foundation Board. "In addition, Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation's purpose is rooted in nature, which is critical to our outdoor brands. That commitment to nature ties closely with the use of the great products in our family of brands - many of which are used in the Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation programs."

Diane, also a member of the Warriors & Quiet Waters Board of Directors, explained how seamless it was to choose this grantee for the Foundation, given Vista Outdoor's recent acquisition of Simms Fishing Products. Prior joining the Vista Outdoor family, Simms had a longstanding relationship with Warriors & Quiet Waters, and continues to be a strong supporter of WQW. As of press time, Simms announced that a neighbor to Simms, Bunkhouse Brewery, will launch a new beer in May: Simms Seam Seeker 4-Layer Lager. Proceeds from the sale of this Montana-made brew will benefit Warriors & Quiet Waters.

About Warriors & Quiet Waters
When service members are in the military, their mission and sense of purpose are clear, and their lives are structured to meet those objectives. Service members' needs - basics like food and shelter, as well as emotional needs like connection and self-esteem - are met by the military so that they can focus completely on their mission.

But when service members return home and take on the new title of "veteran," their new mission may not be so clear. They must fulfill these needs on their own - often for the first time in their lives, and commonly alone. They may not have structure in their days, teammates to rely on or access to basic needs. Their situation may be further challenging with any physical, moral or psychological wounds.

Without a clear identity and purpose, it's difficult to find a path forward. Since its founding in 2007, Warriors & Quiet Waters has helped more than 1,500 veterans return to civilian life each year.

The Power of the Grant
Warriors & Quiet Waters organizes peak experiences for veterans, which they describe as "transcendent moments of pure joy and elation." The goal is to ensure veterans have standout moments with lasting memories. The grant from the Vista Outdoor Foundation helps ensure Warriors & Quiet Waters can continue providing veterans with access to peak experiences.

"Thanks to our partnership with Vista Outdoor, Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation can continue to put Peak Experiences in Nature to work in helping post-9/11 combat veterans and their loved ones to thrive," CEO, Brian Gilman, Colonel, USMC, (Ret.).