On one Eden Prairie Area Chapter of Let’s Go Fishing excursions last summer, fisher people caught, and released, an estimated 150 panfish. Needless to say, the fishing/catching was easy.
Let’s Go Fishing not letting virus sink its season
The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing Let’s Go Fishing of Willmar to cancel its spring fundraiser and delay its launch of the 2020 season. The volunteers still remain committed to hosting seniors on the water this summer, and are looking for public support to continue the good work
Let’s Go Fishing of Willmar isn’t going to let the COVID-19 pandemic sink its season, but it is canceling its spring fundraiser and the May trips for local students. Volunteers and students from the Prairie Woods Elementary School are shown on Green Lake in this Tribune file photo from May 2018. Tom Cherveny / West Central Tribune file photo
WILLMAR — Let’s Go Fishing Willmar has no intentions of letting the coronavirus COVID-19 sink it’s 2020 season, but it will be delaying its launching date this year.
Rick Reimer, chapter president, said Let’s Go Fishing is postponing its annual spring fundraising event as well as the season’s launch due to the pandemic. The local chapter is hoping it can get its pontoons on the water for the first outings on Monday, June 1.
Until then, the organization is also hoping the public and the group’s many sponsors will continue to step up and help make sure the organization can continue to serve the area.
It costs about $15,000 to operate the local program each year, according to Steve Wilson, board secretary for Let’s Go Fishing. Absent the fundraiser, he and members are hoping supporters will consider contributions and that sponsors will come on board to make the 2020 season possible.
Even with a late start, the organization incurs expenses for the storage of the pontoons and materials, as well as everything from insurance to office materials. Those costs are there no matter, noted Reimer. Read the full article here at the West Central Tribune…
Cops-N-Bobbers Event with Eden Prairie Let’s Go Fishing
Nineteen Eden Prairie Safety Camp graduates, four Eden Prairie police officers and four Let’s Go Fishing-Eden Prairie Chapter crewmen participated in a first-ever Cops-N-Bobbers fishing excursion last Thursday on Lake Riley.
Mayor Ron Case delivered Eden Prairie pins to the youth as well as perfect summer weather. After splitting the crew between two Let’s Go Fishing pontoons, the captains ushered their respective boats to their favorite fishing spots.
Sgts. Brent Dupont and John Wilson were on one boat, patrolmen Jayden DeVibiss and Spencer Barrie on the other. The kids came with various degrees of fishing experience.
“I caught a sunny once,” said one third-grader.
“I caught a northern this big,” said a friend, while extending his third-grade arms as wide as he could.
Seniors Enjoy Mix of Elements on Wall Lake
Blue skies and sunshine made it a perfect day to be on the water.
With the assistance of Let’s Go Fishing, four senior citizens from Fergus Falls went boating Wednesday afternoon on Wall Lake. They toured the shoreline of the entire lake before returning.
Three volunteer members and two Let’s Go Fishing volunteers — Arlin Schalekamp and Will Lindquist – set off on the cruise from a dock at Elk’s Point. The point is located on the eastern shore of the 726.67 acre lake, located three miles East of the city.
Dan Karst, who has acted as president of the Otter Tail County chapter of Let’s Go Fishing for the last 12 years, watched the group as their foray around Wall Lake began at 1pm. Sitting on the deck of a big Crestliner pontoon pushed by a Mercury outboard, the seniors and their aides, all in lifejackets, basking under a warm June sun.
Read the full story on The Daily Journal…
Want to spend some time on the water this summer?
Boating, fishing and water recreation are a huge part of life for people in the Detroit Lakes area.
But what about those who do not have ready access to the water, either due to decreased mobility, or a lack of someone to take them there?
“This will be our 12th season,” says Dave Hochhalter, one of the chapter’s founders, and its current treasurer.
The start of the 2019 fishing season may still be a few weeks away, but LGF already has over 80 trips scheduled, Hochhalter added; technology advancements on the chapter’s website, detroitlakes.lgfws.com, have made it easier than ever to do so.
Once a group is registered with the local LGF chapter’s scheduler, Betty Hochhalter, anyone in that group can go to the website and schedule a date and time from the list of available slots, he added.
“It’s just a matter of a couple clicks to schedule a trip,” Hochhalter continued. “Our volunteers can also see what trips are out there, put their name down and they’re booked for that day.”
Let’s Go Fishing – Bemidji has served more than 5,000
Let’s Go Fishing Bemidji was formed in 2005. Thanks to donations and grants we are able to offer this program in the Bemidji area. Since our inception, we have purchased and worn out our first pontoon and then purchased a second one.
This program offers seniors, handicapped, veterans and youth the opportunity to get back out on the water to fish or just enjoy a boat ride at no charge. Fishing trips and cruises are scheduled five days per week June through August, providing all equipment needed on our handicapped-accessible 26-foot pontoon. Most trips last 2-3 hours. All this is at no charge to the participant. Since inception, we have taken out over 5,000 people on the pontoon.
The mission of Let’s Go Fishing is to serve older adults, youth, veterans and disabled. Whether they are part of a housing community or still living in their residences, older adults benefit greatly from joining with others and taking a trip on the Let’s Go Fishing pontoon. We have had families taking out senior family members. Seniors doing what they remember doing and thought they would never be able to do it again. We have had individuals with serious health issues who find a reason to smile for the first time in months. Read the full story at Bemidji Pioneer…
Hook, Line and …
The Eden Prairie Area Chapter of Let’s Go Fishing, one of 20 such chapters in Minnesota and Wisconsin, got its start at the end of the 2012 season. Its vision is based on the notion that lives can be changed by experiencing the joy and freedom of being out on the water to fish or just enjoy the beauty of a Minnesota lake.
Last year alone, the Eden Prairie chapter guided a record 325 fishing excursions on Riley Lake. In August, it facilitated 450 pontoon rides as part of the city of Eden Prairie’s Riley Lake Park Grand Reopening.
Read the full story online at Eden Prairie News…
Ex-Viking Get’s Early Start on Giving Back
Thirty-one months after his last snap for the Vikings and about nine months after brain surgery, Mike Harris is living a full life.
After spending four NFL seasons throwing behemoths to the ground, the 29-year-old former offensive lineman is now focused on picking up people. Harris stays busy volunteering at Let’s Go Fishing in Eden Prairie, dabbling in jiujitsu and, as of this summer, coaching offensive linemen at Hopkins High School.
Let’s Go Fishing Serves More Than 10,000
Let’s Go Fishing- Itasca was formed in the fall of 2007. Thanks to donations and grants, the organization we were able to raise monies to purchase the first pontoon in the spring of 2008 and began to offer this program to our seniors, handicapped, veterans and youth at no charge. They schedule fishing trips and cruises 5-6 days per week in the morning, afternoon and evenings providing all equipment needed June through September on our handicapped accessible 25-foot pontoon. The month of May schedules are reserved for youth groups. All this at no charge to the participant.
The mission of Let’s Go Fishing Itasca is to continue to serve older adults, youth, veterans and disabled throughout Itasca County. Let’s Go Fishing has always had its core the desire to serve older adults in our community. Whether they are part of a housing community or individuals still living in their residences, older adults benefit greatly from joining with others and taking a morning or afternoon trip on the Let’s Go Fishing pontoon. We have had families taking out senior family members. A granddaughter who wanted to take grandpa fishing. Seniors doing what they remember doing and thought they would never be able to do it again. Read more at Herald Review….