Industry Partners Initiative Update:
Many of you attended an industry partners’ meeting with WRD
last year. Our efforts to improve the foundation of angling, boating, hunting,
trapping, and shooting sports in Georgia through close partnerships with manufacturers,
retailers, and other businesses vital to outdoor recreational pursuits is
ongoing.
Nate Treadaway (BPI Outdoors) and Marty Farrell and Bahram
Khoshnood (Axion Archery) sat down with several WRD staff recently to share
their feedback related to progress on several items identified in those
meetings last year, for example, this newletter, and ideas for moving this
partnership initiative forward. Manufacturers,
dealers, retailers, wholesalers – if fishing, boating, hunting, or shooting is
what you and your business depend on, this partnership needs you!
We are currently refining a draft Memorandum of
Understanding to guide this initiative and soliciting ideas and recommendations
for detailed action plan. We plan to have another meeting in March 2015; as
soon as a date and venue have been finalized, invitations will be sent
individually and announced in this newsletter. Significant agenda items for the
meeting will include selection of Chairs (one each from the angling/boating
community and hunting/shooting sports community) and an executive committee,
adoption of a mission statement and MOU, and drafting of the action plan.
Thank you for your interest, participation and support. This partnership is truly one of kind and
certain to bring forth products and ideas that can better serve our hunting and
shooting customers and enhance traditional recreational opportunities for
future generations.
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Taking
place June 1-3, in Savannah, Georgia, this year's event will work to share
dynamic models of success that contribute toward the common industry goals of
promoting hunting and target shooting, discuss threats to our success and
explore new avenues of opportunities for growth and recruitment.
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Thanks to Bass Pro Shops,
hundreds of children got a chance to try kayaking during the 20th
annual CoastFest in
Brunswick. Ric Brown, general manager of the Bass Pro Shops in Savannah
coordinated the loan of two kayak demo pools from Bass Pro Shops headquarters
in Missouri. Two kayaks were placed in each pool, and
Brown and his staff spent the day up their knees helping kids in and out of the
kayaks, tutoring them in paddling techniques and familiarizing them with the
use of personal flotation devices. “The kayak pools were one of the most
popular activities at this year’s CoastFest,” commented Spud Woodward, director
of the DNR Coastal Resources Division which host the annual event that attracts
more than 9,000 visitors. “Ric and his staff did a great job exemplifying the
value of the partnership between DNR and outdoor recreation industry. I heard
many kids tell their parents that a kayak would be on their Christmas wish
list.”
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Do you have ideas for cross promotion of Georgia Grown manufacturers and retailers through DNR's social media or other outlets? We want to hear from you! Email or call jenifer.hancock@dnr.state.ga.us
(706) 557-3324
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