From the Berkley Fishing Wire

HOFI Shutters Operations

Editorʼs Note: We received this notice Friday. It is with some sadness we note the passing of this group after two decades of introducing kids to fishing.

Kids All-American Fishing makes its last cast

 

Hooked On Fishing International (HOFI), best known for its Kids All-American Fishing (KAAF) programs, has announced it is ceasing operation, effective Jan. 1, 2008, after 20 years of service.

In making the announcement, HOFI president Daniel Johnson said the decision to close was a difficult one. "Any time you have to do something that impacts our country's youth and the next generation of anglers, it's not an easy thing," he explained. "But due to changing corporate priorities and market conditions, our program's key partners have chosen to devote their resources elsewhere and we weren't successful in securing new alliances in time for us to continue into 2008."

HOFI was founded in 1987 for the simple reason of introducing and promoting the recreation of fishing to young people and their families. Through the support of corporate partners, the organization provided KAAF fishing derby support kits and other planning and promotional resources to communities nationwide for the purpose of hosting on-water fishing events.

In its first year, HOFI supported 60 fishing derbies in 28 states. Twenty years later, nearly 2,000 events were held across the country. Over the history of the program, KAAF and its network of volunteers helped put fishing rods and reels in the hands of more than 8 million youngsters.

The program's termination also brings to a close HOFI's highly successful Kids All-American Fishing Scholarship and Ambassador Program. For each of the past three years, select youth anglers between the ages of 8-14 were chosen from across the country through a formal application process based on their outstanding leadership efforts in school and community. Each of the youngsters appointed to date has been awarded a $5,000 U.S. Savings Bond for use in current or future education, a KAAF team-angler jersey and a personalized acrylic award.

A number of well known manufacturers and retailers provided varying degrees of support to HOFI and its program throughout the years, including Wal-Mart, Berkley, Johnson Fishing, Zebco, Eagle Claw, Kraft Foods, Fujifilm and more.

"We offer thanks and gratitude to the many companies and thousands of community-based organizers who have helped make our program a success for so long," Johnson added. "We still believe today what we did 20 years ago when we began - that no activity provides families a more enriching opportunity to spend quality time together than does fishing."