Press Releases

ALEXANDRIA, VA (June 16, 2010) – The Take Me Fishing campaign is teaming up with South Bend Sporting Goods and The Sports Authority to help launch a major youth outdoors movement this weekend in New York City’s Central Park. Five hundred youth delegates will be on hand to celebrate the first-ever Outdoor Nation Youth Summit & Festival on June 19 and 20, which will include a ‘Take Me Fishing Zone’ to inspire the next generation of boaters and anglers.

According to research by the Outdoor Foundation, kids say cost, time, getting dirty and a risk of danger are among the top reasons they don’t spend time outdoors. This survey of “Outsiders” - a growing community of young artists, athletes, advocates and ambassadors who have joined together to champion the outdoors – also revealed:

• More than half of Outsiders would use an hour of free time to do something active outside, which is indicative of a motivated, outdoor-oriented membership.
• Outsiders feel lowering entry fees for competitions and parks would go a long way toward encouraging first-timers to enter.
• Outsiders see the benefit in creating or joining clubs as a way to both foster friendships and keep young people engaged with the outdoors on a more regular basis. 
• Outsiders strongly believe that educating parents on how to plan and prepare for outdoor activities will motivate them to teach their children to appreciate the outdoors.
• Education from parents is not enough. Outsiders believe in the need for creatively integrating the outdoors into school curricula, from PE and Geography to Biology and Civics.

A special video inspired by the idea of the Youth Summit, made by kids for kids, was commissioned by the Take Me Fishing campaign. The video is available on TakeMeFishing.org and on YouTube.

“With so many kids choosing to spend their free time indoors, it’s great to be involved with an event that connects kids to nature,” said Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) President & CEO Frank Peterson. “We’re thrilled to be a part of this inaugural summit and festival which will create new outdoor champions to preserve the outdoors for future generations. And we’re confident that the insights gained from these events and the Outdoor Nation movement overall will help shape our stakeholders’ marketing and education programs, and provide research that may be useful in their public relations and community outreach efforts.”

Visitors to the Take Me Fishing Zone can win instant prizes, fish from stocked tanks, take part in casting demonstrations with TakeMeFishing.org ‘Master Caster’ Aaron McAlexander, and register for a chance to win a $1,000 gift card to The Sports Authority and more prizes:

• Camping gear and equipment from The North Face and The Sports Authority
• Diamondback Edgewood Hybrid Bike
• “Ready 2 Fish” & N’GAGE fishing prize packages from South Bend Sporting Goods

Take Me Fishing is joining the Outdoor Foundation, Backpacker, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, The North Face and many other partners for this two-day event where youth delegates will convene to discuss ways to motivate more kids to spend time outside. Designed to reconnect young people with nature, Outdoor Nation is a growing grassroots movement to inspire kids to live a healthy and active life. Other special events during the weekend include: kayaking demonstrations and rock climbing walls; discussion groups for the youth delegates to talk about diversity, outdoor services, media and culture; and a career fair to expose kids to job opportunities in the outdoor community.

For more information visit TakeMeFishing.org/OutdoorNation.

About RBFF
RBFF is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase participation in recreational angling and boating, thereby protecting and restoring the nation’s aquatic natural resources. RBFF helps people discover, share and protect the legacy of boating and fishing through national outreach programs including the Take Me Fishing™ campaign and Anglers’ Legacy™.

About Outdoor Nation
Outdoor Nation will unite more than 500 youth leaders from across the nation around a common mission: to reclaim, redefine and rediscover the outdoors. This multi faceted, two-day event will serve as a catalyst for a revolutionary youth-roots movement to embrace the active outdoor lifestyle. Outdoor Nation will feature nature-based activities, athletic competitions, photography, special exhibits, live entertainment and the nation’s first Youth Summit on the Outdoors designed by and for youth. To learn more, please visit www.outdoornation.org.