Jakes Day 2009 – Success!

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On Saturday, August 1, 2009 Michael Davis, Bob Lassiter, Brandon Frakes, Don Davidson, Peter Lloyd, and Steve Hennings were out at Jakes Day introducing kids to fly fishing.  There were 204 kids registered for the event and many of them caught their first fish on a fly rod! This was a real success and I was proud to be part of BRTU’s contribution to this great youth program. 

Thanks to all BRTU supporters and I hope that you all will consider putting the event on your calendar for next year too.  It's always the first Saturday of August and a lot of fun!

The following email from Shane Decker, one of the primary organizers for the event, was passed along from Steve Hennings; it speaks for itself: 

Hey Steve,

I am so grateful to anyone that helps us, but you and your guys go a step further than anyone else. I am amazed at how some of the youngest ones there can learn the thrill of fly fishing. In order to do that, there has to be a tremendous amount of patience from the instructor. Those guys really took the time and the patience to make sure even some of the smaller kids understand the craft.

I have to tell you a little story about what a parent told me. I had a lady come up to me and ask me who you guys were and did we pay you guys to come. I laughingly told her the five of you were from Trout Unlimited and no we did not pay you to come. She could not believe that you guys took the time with her 3 year old daughter to make sure she got the attention and patience of even some of the bigger kids. She went further to say that since we weren't paying you that maybe we should start because you guys went over and beyond to teach the kids the art of fly fishing. I know all of this for a fact and I want you to pass the word along to your guys at how pleased the parents and the kids were with the patience and level of instruction to those kids.

By the way, that 3 year old little girl was my daughter and my wife wasn't the only parent that praised you, but that is the one that I remembered word for word what she said.

Thanks for all that you do,
Shane Decker