Public Safety Youth Fishing Derby

The Annual Public Safety Youth Fishing Derby will be held on June 12. With the partnering of Muskegon and Muskegon Township Police and Fire Departments we continue to give youth an afternoon of fishing and fellowship with their local public safety officials. 2008 will mark the 14th season for this event.

This derby gives youth the opportunity to see that there are positive ways to spend their time and it also gives them the opportunity to fellowship with their local public safety officials and get to see them as friends who are there to help them. It shows the youth that they are approachable and are not someone to be afraid of. The youth who have not participated in the past and do not have their own fishing equipment are allowed to keep the rod and reel combinations that are given to them for the event. This will give them the opportunity to continue with this positive activity. Some of these youth never had the opportunity to fish before, either due to lack of funding for equipment or lack of someone to show them how.

The deadline for entering the event is June 5. Youth ages 8 through 12 years old who live or go to school in the area under the jurisdictions of the City of Muskegon and Muskegon Township Police Departments are eligible. We are limited to 175 sets of equipment and a total number of entries of 200. Entry is on a first come first served basis. Forms will be available at the Muskegon and Muskegon Township Police Department approximately 3 weeks prior to the event and must be turned in at those locations. Applications will also be delivered to each public elementary school and a number of private schools within the jurisdictions of the Muskegon and Muskegon Township Police Departments. Applications are not to be mailed in. They must be hand delivered. Once we have reached our maximum number we will no longer take applications. Thank you so much to all of our sponsors. As of the date of this update, sponsors for 2008 include: Plumb’s Stores Inc., Fisherman’s Landing, Pulaski Lodge,Viking Lodge (Linne Lodge 57),Fraternal Order of Police, Muskegon Commerce Bank, Trophy House and Comerica Bank. We are also grateful to all of the wonderful volunteers including the Muskegon and Muskegon Township Police Officers and Firefighters, neighborhood association volunteers, City of Muskegon employees and residents who make this happen.

Thank you for coming through for the kids and our future!