Hundreds of Wisconsin union members and families came together for Take Kids Fishing Day events in Madison and Beloit June 7-8.
Sponsored by the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA), Building and Construction Trades Councils of Southern and South Central Wisconsin, the events were free and open to the public.
Vilas Park in Madison, Wisconsin, hosted over 105 youths and over 200 parents and guardians, while Riverside Park in Beloit, Wisconsin, hosted 67 kids and 30 parents.
“[Take Kids Fishing Day] is a creative way to expose children and their families to the importance of protecting natural resources,” said Tracey Griffith, executive director of Building and Construction Trades Council of South Central Wisconsin. “Fishing is a fantastic way to learn about conservation and to begin a relationship with the great outdoors.”
In addition to a free day of fishing and lunch, each youth in attendance took home a free rod and reel.
Griffith’s first time coordinating and attending Take Kids Fishing Day in Madison was a positive experience.
“I loved all the smiles on not just the children’s faces, but on the parents’ faces too,” she said. “Everyone coming through was genuinely happy to be there and to see our community and our union trade volunteers jumping in to help wherever needed was such a positive message about how we engage with our community.”
Nate Tell, South Central Wisconsin BTC president and Roofers Local 11 member, organized the event in Beloit and enjoyed interacting with volunteers and families.
“The most rewarding part for me is at the end of the day, when everyone comes back together to share their fishing stories and reflect on the day,” Tell said. “I also enjoy the interaction between families and volunteers—the feeling of community we create together. It’s a shared experience with the public.”
With 14 volunteers in Beloit and over 35 volunteers in Madison, Griffith explained the importance of union members volunteering at community events.
“Volunteering is at the heart of what our union members do because they genuinely care about the future of our youth,” Griffith said. “Volunteering fosters leadership development and supports and grows a stronger sense of community. It can also help break down negative stereotypes of what a union is and strengthen ties between labor and the community. When our members are engaging with youth, they can model values like teamwork and respect, which can inspire and spark an interest in the trades or even labor history.”
Whether it’s learning outdoor skills or gaining familiarity about trades, Take Kids Fishing Day serves many purposes, according to Griffith.
“I hope that everyone learned how important it is to spend family time together and that they gained a greater appreciation for the outdoors and our wildlife,” she said. “I also hope they saw how much our union volunteers cared and were willing to jump in and help. They wanted to make sure everyone felt comfortable and were available to help in any way.”
The events were part of a series of free, community-based Take Kids Fishing Day events, organized through the USA’s Work Boots on the Ground program, which unites union members to volunteer their time to projects and events that help improve public access to and opportunities in the outdoors.
“What really motivates me is just being able to not only share the sport of fishing with those young people and their parents, but also to give them a go-to spot for the day where they can enjoy themselves and get a bite to eat,” Tell said. “It all works out to where you put a smile on a kids face, and it makes you feel good.”
Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA): The USA is a union-dedicated, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose members hunt, fish, shoot and volunteer their skills for conservation. The USA is uniting the union community through conservation to preserve North America’s outdoor heritage. For more information, visit www.unionsportsmen.org or connect on Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram.
Work Boots on the Ground (WBG): WBG is the USA’s flagship conservation program that brings together union members willing to volunteer their time and expertise to conservation projects that improve and enhance public access to the outdoors, conserve wildlife habitat, restore America’s parks and mentor youth in the outdoors. The USA’s Work Boots on the Ground program works closely with federal, state and local agencies and other conservation groups to provide manpower needed to complete critical projects that may otherwise go undone.
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