An Outdoorsman’s Journal
By: Mark Walters
KAMO Comeback
Hello friends: Back in 2007, with the help of many good men and women, I helped create Kids and Mentors Outdoors (KAMO). I actually used this column to reach out to the public and it worked. Our goal in KAMO is to get kids outside through our mentors on both one-on-one and event-type experiences.
Like everything else in the world, COVID-19 was very difficult on volunteer type of organizations and back in March 2020, together with my Board of Directors, we had to make the very difficult decision to put the brakes on the majority of our actions until very recently.
This week’s column is an update on what I believe is an incredible organization.
Friday, June 26
High 83, low 51
Rick Miotke is the president of the Baraboo River Chapter of KAMO and also runs our background check program. I spent a night at Juneau County’s Castle Rock Park with Rick and some of his mentors and KAMO kids as they did their annual 3-day camping trip. This would be KAMO’s first event since COVID and it was great to see our organization on the right track. I met Mike Brown, who is a retired teacher from La Crosse, about 10 years ago. I was parked in the Meadow Valley Wildlife Area and doing a bow hunt. Mike saw the KAMO sticker on my truck and contacted me after exploring our website www. kamokids.org. Within two weeks Mike attended the Meadow Valley Chapter’s meeting (New Lisbon/ Necedah), liked what he saw, and a year later started The Coulee Chapter of KAMO in the La Crosse area.
I speak with Mike often as he is one of KAMO’s vice presidents, the president of his chapter, and runs our website. Just last night Mike and his crew had volunteers for eight pontoon boats that took kids on rides on the Black River.
One of Mike’s favorite one-on-one activities is to take kids fishing on The Best Dam Fishing Float, which is located on the Mississippi River below Lock and Dam Number 7.
On July 10, the Meadow Valley Chapter of KAMO had both mentors and kids riding and walking in the annual Wa Da Shuda Days parade at New Lisbon. Some of them rode in one of the member’s carp shooting boat while others walked and handed out flyers.
On that same day, I drove up to Lake Emily near Florence for that chapter’s annual Kids Hooked On Fishing Day. Locals meet at the boat landing/park and after the kids register they hit the water and after that there is a picnic and just a very positive social experience.
I met Mick Milner back on the last day of February 2007 when several of us met in Florence for the first time. Mick would become president of The Northwoods Chapter until this past May and let me tell you, he did one heck of a job. John Johnson, who is an avid outdoorsman and earns his living in the timber industry, is the new Northwoods president and I have an excellent feeling about their future.
On June 24, our newest KAMO chapter, which is out of Beaver Dam and call themselves The Dodge County Conservation Chapter of KAMO and is run by my good friend Jim Braker, will be doing a fund raiser and meet and greet at The Pig Shack at the Beaver Dam Piggly Wiggly.
So I am the president and to the average person this may seem simple and successful, but folks, I have to tell you this. We have all the ground work completed from bylaws to a 501-C, background check policy and much more. What we really need is mentors and kids and cash is always handy. What KAMO gets done with all of its chapters on a statewide basis is monumental, but chapter to chapter, we need kids and adults.
Check out our website, we are a lowkey, no-stress organization that is like a big family!
Any form of help is appreciated. Sunset
The Northwoods Chapter of KAMO is proud to host the Kids Hooked On Fishing event every year!
Some of the Meadow Valley members of KAMO staging for the Wa Da Shuda Day’s Parade.
The family of Brad, Natasha, and Brooke Shucha enjoying the Kids Hooked On Fishing event on Lake Emily.
