Community Member Spotlight
Patty Nix
AZ Fly Shop is proud to be your community fly shop. We exist for the fly fishing community and because of the community. We are committed to contributing both to the fly fishing community and the community beyond the fly fishing community.
One of the organizations that we have supported from the very beginning is Casting for Recovery. They support women that are dealing with various stages of breast cancer recovery. The stories from the retreats are both inspiring and moving examples of how people support each other they difficult times in life.
This month’s community member spotlight has been a very active member of Casting for Recovery and the AZ Fly Shop community. She is a radiant and joyful light at all of our community events, always willing to pitch wherever needed. Patty Nix is a gift to the world, and we are very lucky to have as our December community member spotlight.
Patty—thank you for all that you contribute to the world!!!
-Chris Rich, AZ Fly Shop Founder
What does fly fishing mean to you? What about fly fishing offers you most satisfaction?
It most defiantly is getting freedom from myself. Fly fishing took me out of looking in and being bitter and made me a happy camper in just a weekend. Since then it still gives me so much freedom and peace. All the emotional and phycological experiences of being on the water is so freeing.
What does having AZ Fly Shop in the community mean to you? What do you like about AZ Fly Shop?
The community and the support they give to the women of Casting for Recovery. The fly shop itself is so precious to me. The community is so blessed to have AZ Fly Shop, you can sense the love and friendship when you walk through the door.
Tell us your most memorable fly fishing story
My retreat! I when to the Casting for Recovery retreat 3 years ago. I was an alternate originally and when someone dropped out I got my immediately got my paperwork in and I was going! On the way there I was in a really tough place, I had been misdiagnosed and I can still remember the anger and bitterness I was feeling on the whole drive there. Then I was assigned to my guide, Randy, an organic orange farmer from California. He was the blessing of my life! The ladies who ran the retreat and my guide, Randy changed my life that weekend. I left feeling so at peace. It was a truly spiritual experience. Since then I have found that fly fishers are kind and loving people and have welcomed me with open arms and warm hearts.
Is there any advice you would share with the fly fishing community?
I want to shout it from the rooftops, FLY FISHING IS THE WAY! Be open to change. I have had 18 surgeries and I feel like I’m gonna live forever because of the fly fishing community and support the people give to each other. My experience at the Casting for Recovery Retreat changed my life and I didn’t want to be open to change. The positivity caused me to change my heart and opened me up to the change I had been resisting.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the community?
I just want to thank you all for being so accepting. I can’t think of a better group of people that I’ve met in my life. The fly fishing community is filled with genuine people that make my heart smile.
