After many years a staple in introducing fishing to kids has suffered a set back..... This is a letter sent by Jim Owens of Cast for Kids...
Dear Fishing Kids Volunteers,
I will not be coordinating your Fishing Kids Events this year. The privilege of doing that for the program that I conceived, developed, and nurtured is to be given to someone else.
This year the WDFW put out an RFP (Request for Proposal) for Coordination and Management of the Kids Fishing Program. In case you weren’t not aware of it WDFW provides the bulk of the funding for the program. My submittal (bid) was deemed non responsive and rejected. I then submitted a protest, but that too was rejected. I am not sure who will be awarded the contract, but the rumor mill has it that it will be GOPAW.
I’m not sure when you will be contacted about this year’s events, or by whom. I apologize for not having more to tell you, but I have just not been given any information at all. WDFW has chosen not to support two of the programs from last year – Renton and Colfax. I will be contacting these groups to make plans to continue them on our own.
I am very concerned about where the program will go from here. I’m not sure that whoever WDFW finds to manage it will have the same depth of caring, understanding, experience, expertise, and mostly importantly, “ownership” of the program to keep it at the level it has been. We will see.
Over the years I have deeply enjoyed working with all of you and like to think of all of you as my friends. I will miss you. It was great working with people that understand the importance of, and care so deeply about, youth sportfishing. I hope to see many of you come help with CAST for Kids events.
NOTE: Just to avoid any confusion, this issue has nothing to do with the CAST for Kids events for disabled children. Those are still full speed ahead!
All of you please Take Care,
Jim Owens
Executive Director, C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation
227 SW 41st St., Renton, WA 98057
P: (425) 251-3214
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