Pechmann Center (Fayettville) - Volunteer Opportunity

[Al]

For those of us who volunteer at the NCWRC John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center, located at the site of the old Lake Rim Hatchery in Fayetteville, the cooling temperatures mean trout are about to arrive and fly fishing clinics are right on the horizon.

The trout are being scheduled to arrive the week of December 15th, 2008. We are scheduling three beginner clinics, one advanced clinic and the Boy Scout Merit Badge events again this year. Dates have already been locked in. All dates are on a Saturday with a start time of 9:00am and end time of 3:00pm.

Beginner Clinic
    January 10
    January 24
    February 7

Advanced Clinic
    February 21

Boy Scouts
    March 14
    March 21

Warm Water Clinic
    TBA (Probably mid-June)

All clinics are limited to the first 40 participants. Registration through Lake Rim Park (424-6134) begins on December 1, 2008. The cost is $5. Pre-registration is required. The basic clinics fill very fast so pass this information along to all of your friends.

We have said many times that we could not put these events on without the help of the volunteers. That still holds true. Most of our volunteers return year after year but some drop out for various reasons such as family obligations or relocation from the area, therefore we always welcome new folks. I hope you will consider helping out in 2009. You do not have to be an expert fly fisherman. You just need a passion for the sport and a willingness to pass that passion on to others. We normally have our new volunteers audit one of the basic clinics before assigning them to assistant instructor duty. We don't expect you to make every clinic but we would like you to commit to at least half of them. (It requires a minimum of 12 volunteers for things to run smoothly at each clinic - more are always welcome and help keep my stress level down)

The pay is not great. Lake Rim Park has promised coffee and a sausage biscuit and the NCWRC will undoubtedly send us a nice letter and some other token of their appreciation. We also have limited access to the ponds to practice our fly fishing skills during the week (sort of like having our own private delayed harvest pond). The payment that I find so rewarding are the smiles and "thanks" we receive.

In addition to the clinics listed above, the Pechmann Center is also committed to host fly fishing events for Ft Bragg's Wounded Warrior Transition Battalion and the NC Handicapped Sportsmen from 1-5pm on the 2nd Wednesday of each month starting in January 2009. (Any volunteers who are available are needed and most welcome for these special events)

If you, or any of your fly fishing friends might be interested in volunteering, please contact me.

Al Kittredge
Fly Fishing Clinic Volunteer Coordinator

(910) 868-6235
aakitt@earthlink.net

[Al]

We have the trout in the ponds and we're fine tuning how we conduct the morning or classroom sessions. Still time for some of you who keep saying "I'd like to get involved" to contact me for more details. Unfortunately due to the "donation in kind" via matching funds, you can't just show up and say "I'm here to volunteer" - as with all bureaucracies there is paperwork to fill out.

Volunteers don't have to be experts but must know the basics. Most important ingredient is they must be able to interact with the students. They must also commit to at least 50% of the events. What we are starting this year is all new volunteers must sit through the classroom and rotation portions before we assign them a particular task. (That gives us a good chance to evaluate their skills and gives them exposure to all aspects of the program)

In addition to the clinics listed below we also host Wounded Warrior and NC Handicapped Sportsmen events the 2nd Wed of every month. The WW and NCHS events are not as structured as the clinics but we are always in need of volunteers to help out.

All dates are on a Saturday with a start time of 9:00am and end time of 3:00pm. (Volunteers should arrive NLT 8:00am to help set up)

Beginner Clinic
    January 10
    January 24
    February 7

Advanced Clinic
    February 21

Boy Scouts
    March 14
    March 21

Warm Water Clinic
    TBA (Probably mid-June)


Seem my original post below for additional details.