Go fish, be happy
Why Now?
Covid-19 threw the world upside for everyone in a matter of days. Kids went from engaging with others at school, in sports and at church to a completely online existence. The impact to mental health was significant.
My kids were scattered, moody and anxious and while exercise and family activities helped, there was large sense of upheaval. And so my kids went outdoors, pulled out their rods (which were dusty since last summer) and asked to go to local lakes. On the days they fished, they said (and we could tell!) that they felt more “in control” and calm and that fishing gave them a chance for “their minds to quiet down.”
Days turned into months and more and more fishing occurred and more and more catches happened! And my boys beamed – they were proud, accomplished and happy. Who knew it would take a global pandemic to cement my kids’ love of fishing? But it did, and most importantly, it gave them a critical tool to work on their mental health at the same time.
My family wants to raise awareness about the fun sport of fishing, get as many in the community to fish and through this, demonstrate that stability, joy and peace can be had even in the most tumultuous of times.
How?
By getting to the water with some bait and a rod! We would like to create opportunities for kids to get together outdoors and learn from each other about fishing. Eventually, we would like to reach out to as many future youth anglers as possible and create a culture of “Go Fish, Be Happy!”