Wichita, KS, May 11, 2020. Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors announced today that the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund will be making a donation to be used by Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors to further their Shooting Sports Outreach Program. Launched in Kansas in 2019, the Shooting Sports Outreach Program engages student-athletes involved in the shooting sports with hunting and fishing opportunities.
“Thanks to the generosity of the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors will be able to expand our efforts to get more youth outdoors, hunting and fishing,” stated Mike Christensen, President of Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors, Inc. “We are humbled to have an organization like the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund lending their support to our efforts.”
“In 2019, Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors hosted 89 hunts involving over 220 youth from 44 different high schools across Kansas. For the 2020 hunting seasons, our goal is to hire additional staff and expand into Iowa where we can ultimately serve more youth,” said Brittany Waldman, Director of Field Operations for Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors.
Between the Scholastic Clay Target Program and the National High School Clay Target League, there are more than 40,000 high school student-athletes participating in trap shooting nationwide. The Shooting Sports Outreach Program aims to provide hunting and fishing opportunities to as many of these youth as possible.
“Almost all of these youth have taken hunter safety, and have learned one of the basic skills needed to hunt,” Brittany said. “Our goal is to increase their interest and motivation to hunt by providing as many different hunting opportunities as we possibly can.”
Brittany further indicated that, “Our goals with this new effort are to 1) recruit new hunters by giving those who don’t currently hunt opportunities to pursue upland game, waterfowl, turkey and deer; 2) retain current hunters by giving those youth trap shooters and their parents who are currently hunters the opportunity to engage in more hunting activities; and 3) to reactivate parents and coaches who want to participate in these hunting activities. This model can be applied to numerous different cohorts in hopes to inspire others to have a passion for hunting and fishing.”
To accomplish this, Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors partners with local chapters of NGO’s, the state fish and wildlife agency and private landowners to provide access and volunteers and mentors who assist with the events.
About Bass Pro Shops Cabela’s Outdoor Fund
Under the visionary leadership of founder Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s is leading North America’s largest conservation movement. Together with our partners in conservation, we’re positively shaping the future of the outdoors through donation, grant-making and advocacy. As the premier outdoor and conservation company, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s supports initiatives inspiring everyone to enjoy, love and conserve the great outdoors. The 501(c)3 Outdoor Fund raises funds to support conservation efforts by activating more than 200 million passionate sportsmen and women rounding up their purchases in Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s stores.
About Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors
Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors is a Wichita, Kansas-based national organization dedicated to providing children with mentors who will share with them the experiences of traditional outdoor activities. The heart of the group's mission is to give children opportunities to connect with nature that they more than likely won't have without a mentor showing them the way. For more information about Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors, please visit http://www.outdoormentors.org.
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