Richmond, Virginia Project
“This was the best day of my life!”
Mentee, The Mayfly Project
Project Location
Richmond, Virginia
Year Project Founded
2026
Project Lead Mentor
Judith Edwards
Co-Lead Mentor
Tim Jackson
Mentors on this team
Looking for mentors!
Children mentored to date
TBD
Children to be mentored in 2026
3
Local foster care partners
Currently searching for Foster Care Partners!
Local companies that support this project
Fly Fishers of VA, a FFI club will sponsor one child. Both Orvis Richmond Store, and REI Richmond Store have expressed interest in helping. We are hoping for financial support from Dominion Power.
Apply to Mentor
Support the Richmond, VA Project
At the end of our program, I received a thank you note from my mentee. He enjoyed the time we spent together on the water and mentioned that ‘he didn’t know fishing could be so fun’! It was his first-time fishing and admitted that he considered fishing ‘boring’ and that he didn’t want to do it. His perspective changed after our time together on the water. We talked conservation and he jumped right in to help keep the lake clean. His favorite part, of course, was his ‘First catch’! The note included pictures of us and it filled me with happiness and a few of those ‘happy tears’!
Mentor from The Mayfly Project
The Richmond Mayfly Project shared a booth with the Pearisburg project at the Va Fly Fishing and Wine festival, January 9 & 10, 2026. We raffled off an Orvis rod, and two fly boxes filled with custom tied flies for our area. Tom Rosenbauer stopped by to support us! Funds were raised, friendships made, and fun was had by all. Fish on!
Project Mentors
Judi Edwards , LEAD MENTOR
| I grew up outside of Buffalo, NY, relocated to Richmond for grad school in 1981 and never left. I started Flyfishing about 30 years ago, fished sporadically until retirement…and now my husband and I fish regularly. I’ve mentored with the Pearisburg Project and found Mayfly allows me to bring together my love of kids, and my love of Flyfishing. I am looking forward to opening our Richmond, VA chapter |
Dan Genest, MENTOR
Dan Genest is a husband, father, grandfather and fly fisherman.
Born in 1954, he is retired from Dominion Energy and devotes his time to family, flyfishing and volunteering for Project Healing Waters.
A self-taught fly caster at age 12, he did not become an avid fly angler until the late 1980s. Since that time, he fly fishes as often as he can for anything with fins. His goal is to continue to learn and improve his fishing skills.
He is a past president of the Fly Fishers of Virginia and has been a volunteer with Project Healing Waters since 2006
Pam Bernardo MENTOR
As a retired nurse originally from Roanoke and Bent Mountain, Virginia, I had a career caring for others. Fifteen years ago, I discovered an interest in fly fishing and is now a central part of my life. After moving to Richmond, Virginia, ten years ago, I continued to explore this interest, frequently returning to Southwest Virginia to visit family/friends to fish and engage in outdoor activities. In retirement, I have embraced the opportunity to delve deeper into fly fishing and give back to the community by volunteering with the Department of Wildlife (DWR) and to participate with Mayfly activities. This combination of personal passion and community service, especially with youth, has made my retirement years both fulfilling and impactful.
Zachary Williamson, MENTOR
I have lived in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia all my life, and have a passion for the outdoors. Fishing is a hobby that I have been involved in for many hears, with fly fishing being my main focus the past few years. I currently work for Newport News Shipbuilding, but have worked with children in many settings during my time as a Recreation, Parks, and Tourism major at Radford University. I hope to instill a love of nature, and a knowledge of fish and conservation for future generations.
Bill Kitchens, MENTOR
Bill grew up in the Richmond, Virginia area and slowly worked his way to North Hanover County where he has continued an active life outside. A career in downtown Richmond provided easy access to the James River for daily trail runs, mountain biking, whitewater kayaking…and even a little fishing. Bill continues to be an active sailboat racer, competing in multiple classes at local, regional, national levels. Spring through fall finds him on the upper Piankatank River near Dragon Run which is a key rockfish migration site.
Bill is active in the local community serving in many roles including as a Ally (mentor) for Circles Ashland, Youth Program mentor for the International Rescue Committee and as the current president of the Ashland Theatre Foundation and past president of the Duncan Memorial UMC Leadership Board. He is an instructor trainer for the US Sailing Reach STEM Educators Course.