Outdoor Club Fills Niche

By Jerry Carlson
www.jerrycarlsonoutdoors.com
Most experts agree that today’s youth simply do not spend enough time outdoors. We all are aware of the many activities that are available for young people that are not outdoors oriented. There is also plenty of press about the amount of time kids spend on the computer or in front of the television.
Sometimes, the problem with the lack of outdoor activity for kids is the mere lack of opportunities. In an effort to increase outdoor opportunities, Jim Russell and Woody Sankey of St. Cloud have started a new program for kids called “The Outdoor Club.”

I recently had a chance to volunteer at one of their meetings held at Riverside Park in St. Cloud. At this event, members of the club were given new rod and reel ice fishing combos complete with line.
Our agenda for the evening was to teach the young people, and their parents, how to tie fishing knots and to rig a rod for ice fishing. The entire operation went very smoothly and 90 minutes later members were ready for an “on the ice” experience. 

The Outdoor Club actually has more than one ice fishing experience planned for the eager youth. After all, what good is a new rod and reel if a person can’t go fishing?

The Outdoor Club works closely with the St. Cloud Recreation Department and another organization called Simply Outdoor Experiences. It is open to the public with membership dues set at $15 a year. Membership information is available at 320-650-3053.

The Outdoor Club has more than fishing on its schedule. For a list of upcoming events, check out the Simply Outdoor Experiences website at www.simplyoutdoorexperiences.org.