O.F.A.H. Tackle Share lands national conservation award

O.F.A.H. Tackle Share lands national conservation award

A national honor has been presented to the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) for its Tackle Share program, a popular outdoors initiative that puts fishing equipment into the hands of urban youth and other aspiring anglers.

This past weekend, the Canadian Wildlife Federation (C.W.F.) proudly declared O.F.A.H. Tackle Share as the winner of its prestigious Doug Clarke Memorial Award for the “most outstanding conservation achievement in Canada.” The award was presented at the annual C.W.F. Conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

“Winning this major conservation award is an extraordinary boost for O.F.A.H. Tackle Share. It reinforces the O.F.A.H.’s belief that fishing is more than just a Canadian tradition and a healthy form of recreation, it’s also a hands-on lesson in environmental education,” said O.F.A.H. President John Ford, a retired elementary school teacher. He added that through fishing kids learn first-hand about the importance of healthy waterways and develop a lifelong interest in conserving our natural resources.

Since its launch in 1998, O.F.A.H. Tackle Share has become a province-wide success with over 100 Tackle Share loaner sites hosted by Big Brothers and Big Sisters associations, public libraries, the City of Toronto, Ontario Parks and other locations. Thanks to this sponsor-driven O.F.A.H. program, children and families can sign out rods, reels and tackle supplies the same way they would borrow library materials. O.F.A.H. Tackle Share also features an outreach program whereby O.F.A.H. summer employment students tour the province to provide free fishing lessons for kids and parents.

O.F.A.H. Tackle Share is made possible thanks to its lead sponsor, Canadian Tire, as well as generous support provided by Shimano, Berkley, Lucky Strike, KTL Canada, Trenton Kiwanis and Ontario Parks.

“Canadian Tire congratulates the O.F.A.H. Tackle Share program for this well-deserved national conservation award. As Canada’s largest retailer of fishing equipment, we are proud to help the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and its other sponsors make fishing more accessible to families and young anglers,” said Sean Stokes, Canadian Tire’s Category Manager of fishing, hunting, marine and power sports equipment.

For more information, visit www.tackleshare.com.

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