Golden Corral Partners with Project Healing Waters to Support Veterans Through Fly Fishing

Golden Corral has built on its commitment to military communities with its second annual fundraising campaign benefiting Project Healing Waters (PHW) — a leading nonprofit that uses fly fishing and outdoor recreation as a therapeutic intervention for Veterans and active-duty military personnel. The nationwide initiative, which ran July 13 through August 23, 2026, aimed to raise $275,000 to help expand access to PHW's programs for service members and Veterans across the country.

The campaign builds on last year's inaugural fundraiser, which helped cover core program costs for more than 400 PHW participants. Together, Golden Corral and Project Healing Waters are working to ensure more service members and Veterans have access to programs that foster resilience, strengthen relationships, and rediscover purpose through meaningful experiences in nature.

"Many of the people who walk through our doors have served our country, or love someone who has," said Lance Trenary, CEO and president of Golden Corral. "Project Healing Waters addresses a different part of that story by helping people reconnect with themselves and others in ways that can have a lasting impact. When guests round up at the register, they are helping create moments of healing that reach far beyond the plate."

Founded in 2005 by CAPT Ed Nicholson, U.S. Navy (Ret.), at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Project Healing Waters uses the restorative power of the outdoors to support Veterans and active military members through a structured curriculum that includes fly fishing, fly casting, fly tying, rod building, and guided outings. Through no-cost programs offered across 45 states and 158 chapters nationwide, participants gain access to experiences that foster camaraderie, community, and personal growth. The organization serves 8,800 participants each year, supported by 3,654 active volunteers, and has served more than 69,000 Veterans since 2012.

"What begins with a fly rod often becomes something much larger," said Jim Knowlton, CEO of Project Healing Waters. "We see Veterans arrive unsure of what they are looking for and leave with friendships, confidence, and a renewed sense of belonging. Healing often starts with small moments shared outdoors, and Golden Corral is helping us ensure that more people can experience those moments."

Golden Corral's support of PHW extends well beyond the annual fundraiser. For more than a decade, brand leadership and supporters have contributed through sponsorship of national ambassador events, including the Mossy Creek Invitational and outings in Daytona and Bristol. The partnership further strengthens Golden Corral's longstanding support of military communities alongside initiatives benefiting DAV and Camp Corral.

To learn more about Project Healing Waters or support the organization, visit projecthealingwaters.org. Find a nearby Golden Corral at GoldenCorral.com/locations.