Getting people involved in outdoor activities in a world filled with Wiis and PS2s is getting more and more challenging. And it may be harder still for people with limited mobility and access to the resource. In order to provide access to some of the best the Upper Mississippi River basin has to offer, the Genoa (WI) hatchery had plans to convert one of the hatcherys rearing ponds to an accessible fishing pond and provide an accessible fishing dock. The only trouble is that dollars for visitor services is extremely limited in the fisheries program. Fortunately for us, we have a neighbor close by in Dairyland Power that has a strong environmental grant program to invest in the future of the areas natural resources. Denise Wagner from our Washington partnerships branch specifically contacted Dairyland and asked if they could help. The hatchery then applied for and received an environmental grant totaling $12,000 from Dairyland to provide for an accessible fishing platform to be placed in a hatchery pond. Maintenance personnel from the station installed the dock and placed a plaque and rock garden to commemorate the gift. A ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony is planned at the hatchery site on August 7th, 2009 at 10:00 am. The staff from local Representative Ron Kinds office (WI-3) have been asked to attend and help dedicate the project. Representative Kind was instrumental in insuring that this gift could take place by co-sponsoring the National Fish Hatchery Volunteer Act of 2006. This law now allows charitable contributions from private entities to be used for the betterment of Federal fishery facilities. The public is welcome to attend and we look forward to putting the dock directly to use by having groups from Americans Sportsmans Alliance Make a Wish Program and the Norseland Nursing Home on hand to catch our first fish from the site.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Dairyland Power Cooperative Plan to Dedicate Accessible Fishing Dock at the Genoa Hatchery on August 7th, 2009
