Fishing films shown at Rex

The Orvis International Fly Fishing Film Festival was held Saturday, June 17, at the Rex Theater in Thompson Falls, in honor of veterans local and abroad. Many attendees were visiting the area with the PB ABBATE, Return to Base group. This group is led by local U.S. Marine veteran John Torres. Patrol Base is a safe place for service members and veterans to rest and re-acclimate into their local communities, according to their website. It gives them tools to carry on and survive. ABBATE is the name of Sergeant Matthew Abbate. "This group honors his legacy," Torres said.

Torres coordinated the festival with Rex Theater owners Deb and Eric Wilson "to help those men and women who have served and suffer from PTSD," he said. The event included films focusing on fly fishing locations across the globe, including the shallows of the Indian Ocean to the coast of Texas.

The event takes place annually the day before Father's Day. "I am dedicated to making it happen once a year," Deb Wilson said.

She is hoping to have films provided by the American Fly Fishing Film Festival next year. This year's sponsors were Friends of Scotchman Peaks and the local 4-H club of Thompson Falls.