Let’s Go Fishing to launch in Forest Lake in 2026
Minnesota-based nonprofit Let’s Go Fishing has added a new chapter in Forest Lake that is expected to launch its services in June 2026.
Let’s Go Fishing provides free fishing and boating outings for seniors, veterans, the disabled and youth. The Forest Lake chapter, which established in July, will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Forest Lake Chamber of Commerce in early October.
“It’s a great thing that’s going to help the community and help the city continue to grow as a community, and hopefully we’re enhancing the lives of people here,” Forest Lake resident and chapter president Keith Kuhnly said, later adding, “It’s a great organization [and] great mission, so I think it sells itself once people know about it.”
“We’re trying to reconnect people with the outdoors, the lakes, especially here [as] this is such a focal point in Forest Lake,” Kuhnly said. “It’s a wonderful resource that we all can enjoy. It’s just easy to enjoy reconnecting people with that, especially elderly people, who we focus on quite a bit.”
The Forest Lake chapter has already begun fundraising for its operational needs and yearly maintenance.
Let’s Go Fishing nonprofit brings mission of hope and healing to central Wisconsin
A nonprofit dedicated to getting seniors, veterans and people with disabilities out on the water is expanding to central Wisconsin, with a new chapter of Let’s Go Fishing set to launch in Wausau.
The group, which began in 2002 in Minnesota, uses specially equipped pontoon boats to bring people who may not otherwise have access to outdoor recreation onto area lakes and rivers. Sometimes, passengers fish; other times, they simply enjoy the experience of being on the water.
But the trips are about more than recreation. In a conversation on WPR’s “Morning Edition,” Let’s Go Fishing Chairman Joe Oprosko said time on the water can ease loneliness, spark memories, and bring joy to people who may otherwise feel isolated.
Read or Listen to the full article here… WPR
Let’s Go Fishing volunteers feel the joy of giving
BRAINERD — Imagine volunteering for an organization where every outing leaves memories for the participants and also the volunteers that can be life-changing.
Let’s Go Fishing is one of those organizations. To be passionate about the mission is an understatement for volunteers Captain Ron Plinske, Loree Besser and longtime First Mate Steve Oslos.
A recent trip from 2023 was especially rewarding for volunteer Plinske. He was on a boat trip for veterans of the Afghan war who were gathered at Cragun’s Resort for a Reuniting After War group. According to Plinske, the trip was so rewarding, it changed his life. He spent the day bobber fishing in the bay with this group of veterans and they experienced the joys of being together just enjoying the day on the water and each other.
The Importance of Memorials
Loren Pumper
What are memorials and why are they important? While flowers and casseroles are appreciated, one of the most lasting ways to honor a loved one is through a memorial gift to carry on their legacy. It provides a way to keep a place at the table for our loved ones as we go forward in our daily lives.
On Friday, September 9th, the Pumper family honored the amazing legacy of Loren Pumper at the Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club attended by over 230 people. Loren was an exceptional father, friend and member of the New Prague community, outdoorsman and an avid fan of Minnesota sports at all levels. The Pumper family chose Let’s Go Fishing Minnesota as the beneficiary of choice given its mission and stellar reputation in providing services to adults, children, veterans, and individuals with disabilities, and the organization so reflects Loren’s interests.
Through the generosity of friends and family, Let’s Go Fishing will already be able to provide 20 boat outings on Minnesota/Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers. We are also told that more donations will be coming in. If you would still like to honor Loren, please click on:
https://lgfws.com/support-lgf/ and mention Loren Pumper.
Non-profit organizations depend on all kinds of donations to promote their programs and reach their goals. Let’s Go Fishing is no exception. We pride ourselves on building the communities we serve, while providing a safe and enjoyable outdoor activity utilizing our natural resources. From our volunteers to our clients and staff that handle their care, we are just grateful — THANK YOU.
Enjoying the outdoors and our beautiful lakes can also be therapeutic. Many see a measurable improvement in their health and well-being, especially those struggling with health issues. Because Loren so enjoyed fishing, the outdoors and being a good community member, Let’s Go Fishing became the perfect way to memorialize him. We say “thank you” for thinking of Let’s Go Fishing and we will pay this kind gesture forward.
Let’s Go Fishing keeps making it happen
Since 2002, the organization and its volunteers give back to seniors and others by hosting them on fishing and boating excursions on Green Lake
SPICER — A group of military veterans with one goal in mind, that being to catch fish.
A women’s bible study group from Vinje Lutheran Church in Willmar, who wanted to boat around Green Lake and see the sights.
A mixed group of new immigrants, including a few who had grown up in the desert and had never seen much less experienced big water.
And mostly, senior citizens who light up with joy when they are on the water.
These are but a few snapshots of Rick Reimer’s time on the waters of Green Lake as the president of the Willmar chapter of Let’s Go Fishing . As it has since 2002, the local volunteers and their sponsors continue to carry on the mission of giving back to seniors and allowing others to enjoy the mental-health-boosting experience that being on the water offers.
A Psychotherapist Explains Why Connection To Nature Is Essential For Mental Health
If you feel more relaxed and recharged after a day at the beach or a hike in the mountains, there is a psychological reason for that. Interacting with the natural world is good not only for our bodies but for our minds and spirits too.
What ecopsychology teaches us about why we need regular interaction with the natural world.
What we know intuitively—that interacting with the great outdoors is good for us—is now supported by a robust body of research that provides evidence that contact with nature lowers stress, reduces ruminations, and lessens anxiousness. Interacting with nature also fosters creativity, produces states of calm, restores attention fatigue, and can affect pro-social and pro-environmental behaviors.
One of the areas of psychology that has contributed to our understanding of the impacts of direct contact with nature is ecopsychology. This field of study focuses on understanding the human-nature relationship. A core assumption of ecopsychology is that the outer world and our inner world are intimately connected. After all, we are nature! Whether we’re conscious of it or not, we need regular interaction with the natural world in order to thrive as individuals and as a species. Read the full story here…