Ifisher of the month awards

[Jennie@ifish]

Click here for a wonderful feeling!

You know, this brings up something that I have always wanted to do, but couldn't figure out how.

I would love to nominate and find one wanna be fisher a month, who cannot afford a license, say... or cannot afford fishing gear.

Between donations of cash at ifish and donations of gear, we could have a whole clearing house and make someone very happy, probably once a month.

Have a "Fisher of the month!" Maybe even a donated trip from an ifisher or even a guide!

Wouldn't that be a feel good fuzzy? :smile:

What needs to be figured out are:

How would we choose the people? Nominations from ifishers who know someone who knows someone?

Then, where could we store all the stuff, and who would be responsible for picking out what kind of gear they'd like?

I could take an occasional ifish donation, and dedicate them to buying someone a license, occasionally. That would make me feel good! :smile:

I could probably find a place to keep the stuff, but it would be nice to form a group that would handle all of the decsions and make sure the goods are going to where they should go.

Jen

[kodiakfisher]

Jennie,

This sort of thing just crossed my mind but instead of once a month how about putting gear together to give out at christmas time to needy kids? I believe giving a kid something else to do besides gangs, drugs etc could have a huge impact on a kid what could be better than fishing they would probably get some of their other friends to join them or make new friends.

You could make ifish stickers to put on the rods so they would always know where to go to get fishing information.

[Jennie@ifish]

How bout this?

How bout a kick off, spring tackle tail gate party. You can bring tackle to swap, tackle to give away, or tackle to sell?

Just different sections?

Or should we do it all for giveaway?

Thumper, let me know, and let's get on it!

Jen

[Chromaflage]

I kinda like the swap/sell/giveaway thing - that could be fun. Could be an iFish swap meet and picnic

[ 01-04-2004, 03:28 PM: Message edited by: OregonRedside ]

[Thumper]

An Ifish Swap Meet. What a great idea! Stuff can be sold, bought, bartered or flat given away. All of mine will be given away to the young and newer fishermen.

Git 'em up! Move 'em out!

[Jennie@ifish]

Hi Thumper. My name is Jennie and I am very young, and new at this.

Jennie Martin
Age 14
Likes to fish

[Thumper]

Nice try, chickee. :tongue:

[Jennie@ifish]

I wish that Bev and Dot were around. They put on a heck of a tackle swap! :smile:

Anyhow, where should it be? Where was the last one? That would be great there, if anyone has any ideas of contact people.

It worked out perfectly, I thought, and Mark of First Cast could do his jig presentation, too!

Anyone have any ideas for "location, location, LOCATION!?"

J

[skein]

A spring time tailgate party/swap meet is a must do! Almost like a potlatch; we meet, eat, then give away everything we've got! Well, sort of.

If we do it in the spring, then the kids (of any age) can put the stuff to use right away. Maybe we could coordinate this with shad season - lots of fish in the river, fun times and easy catches.

I'm in!

Skein

[Jennie@ifish]

It's a go!

Now, where to have it?


Need a clean up and set up group. (I can never spell committee correctly!) :smile:

Need someone with contacts for a place to have it.

What else do we need? SNOW! :smile: HEE HEE HEE!

Jen

[Twitchs_Tackle]

Sounds like a good idea to me. Growing up, I would oten take my neighbor along on hunting trips. He didn't have the best family life and really enjoyed getting out with people who actually try to interact with him.

I too have some tackle items that I would be willing to give to some young anglers. I think a great item for kids and beginners are jigs. They're simple, easy, and they work! It would be neat if some of us jig builders could even bring some vises and materials and let kids create their own. I've found this not only makes them proud of what they build, but excites them to go fishing! :grin:

Set a date and place!

[wannacatchem]

I may be asking a dumb question, but how do we find and nominate a needy new fisher. Should criteria be set like fatherless/single mom, income level, effort at education, age.....what? I don't want to sound like a hard, uh, head....but I don't want to give a bunch of nice gear to some punk ******* that'll hock his new found treasure for a dimes worth of crack. Whose going to judge who's the monthly winner? Only one a month? By going to some the aid societies, etc., I'm sure we can find hundreds of deserving kids.

Din't get me wrong, I would love to get involved in something like this and am offering whatever services I can provide, but I see some difficult questions ahead.

Paul

[kayakfisher]

I would consider that many such kids need someone to take them out fishing more than they need to own equipment until they know what to do with it.

I imagine many of them would really enjoy a day on the boat, or off the bank, with one of their parents and one of the skilled persons on this list. I can donate a lure or funds...but the expertise of many of you (I am still very much still learning myself) is what will make the day ...by putting some eager child onto a salmon, steelhead, or sturgeon. A day that will live forever for any kid.

I am willing to help out anyway I can...and this thread is a primo idea.

M.

[Thumper]

Jennie --- This is one reason why we suggested a tackle giveaway tailgate party last month. It could be done in conjunction with the tackle exchange, and the younger and newer folks who haven't yet got enough tackle could attend and pick some stuff from the donors.

Years ago I bought out the fishing gear section of a small hardware store that was shutting down. I'd sure like to see some of that stuff get used.

[wannacatchem]

ttt

[glassblower]

Maybe take a kid on a fishing trip and at the end of the day they take home a rod and reel and a small tackle bag whith the basics in it. Most fishing does not require a slug of gear, just the corect assortment of gear. I do not know, but I would think the childrens sevices dept could hook you up with foster kids who are intrested in the sport. It is a wonderfull idea that could change a life.

[iwanttofish]

I was thinking the same as all of you. When I read another post that was talking about all the equipment that people were going to give to a teenager. I started to think that it would be great to get all this stuff together and if someone really would or could use it then give them a rod , reel and some tackle. I was amazed when I saw that people wanted to give poles, reels, tackle, waders, money. So what do you others think of something like that. Maybe someone on the east,west,south,coast areas keep some of the items that way they are not all stored at the same place. Then these items can be given out to people that are in need of and truly can not afford to go buy for themselves. [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img] This is just a thought.

[greenbuttskunk]

how about an Ifish floatilla where we take kids fishing who can't afford to don't have a boat or means to fish. It would be a total blast. How about a spring trip at clackamette park for shad. They'd all catch a mess of fish, and we'd have crab bait for the coming season.
I'm in on any of this Jenn. Kids love to fish.
GBS

[iwanttofish]

It sounds good but I would have to wonder about Insurance and liability in the boats. :shocked:

[Jennie@ifish]

Yeah there are some concerns when taking a youth fishing. Not the least of which have to do with innappropriate touching laws, and believe me, they are to be seriously considered.
In my class that I took to teach young anglers, it was a prime topic of concern.

The other problem is deciding on who deserves the tackle. These are the things that have held me back in the past.

Even when an ifisher brings up someone that is needy, if I am not familiar with their moniker, I have to wonder, just because I'm not sure, and someone COULD take advantage of us. I'm not saying it would happen often, but it is a possibility.

Anyway, if someone has answers to these questions, step up. I'd hate to have these things keep us from helping others.

Jen

[iwanttofish]

I aggree maybe a panel of three or four people decide how gets things. Or a monthley drawing of names that are submitted.

[Aqua-Holic]

:depressed: It's a very sad day and a very sick society when some kind hearted folks want to do something for our deprived youngsters and we have to worry about "inappropriate touching"!!!!