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2/19/2011 - City2 Sea’s – Marine Science Learning Center” – 1/29/11 Trip
10/6/2010 - City2 the Sea's interactive, on-the-water Marine Science Learning Center 1st Trip
9/29/2010 - "A Whale of a Good Time" – Sept 18th Trip
9/2/2010 - Contender gives kids well-earned day at sea
9/2/2010 - Summer 2010 Fundraising Campaign
The Beach Reporter - September 2, 2010
Contender gives kids well-earned day at sea
by Annie Lubinsky
Photos By: Chris Miller
Kids & Fishing’s New Boat donated by Charles & Carmen Brown, owners of Brown Bros. Auto Body & Paint Shop
The fishing vessel Contender began its maiden voyage from Redondo Beach harbor Thursday, taking with her a dozen or so teenagers from the Los Angeles Conservation Corps’ Clean and Green program. The half-day trip was the group’s reward for their clean-up efforts during their participation in the program.
“Each participant over the eight weeks prevents 400 pounds of garbage from entering the ocean,” said John Sakacs, captain of the Contender. “Yes, they have earned their morning on a boat.”
The Redondo Beach resident founded the non-profit organization Kids & Fishing with a basic idea in mind: “Anyone who helps the environment, in particular the ocean, will be rewarded with half a day on the water so they can make a connection with what they’re working to protect,” he said. Sakacs took the first group out in 2004; to date, about 1,000 kids have been treated to a half-day’s voyage. On Thursday, Sakacs said, the Contender ran perfectly. “It’s such a beautiful boat. The Brown family in Long Beach donated it, and Flying Cloud Yacht brokers surprised me — they were the most generous people I ever met,” Sakacs said. Flying Cloud has lined up other boat donations, is handling the sales and will send the proceeds to Kids & Fishing to fund the organization’s new “City 2 the Sea” program. “We’re trying to bring more marine science to all we’re doing,” said Sakacs. “One of my board members is a microbiologist who envisions getting microscopes on the boat. That’s the direction we’re going.” On Thursday’s trip, Sakacs taught the group about boat safety and navigation before heading out of the harbor. “The kids had a great time. They loved the seals and saw a lot of wildlife,” he said. Fishing was good, as the kids pulled up three mackerel in the first few minutes. “About 90 percent of them had never been fishing before,” Sakacs said. That’s quite a difference from his own upbringing. “My dad took me fishing as a kid in upstate New York, and then when I moved to California in 1983, I fell in love with the ocean,” he said. Sakacs sees Kids & Fishing as his opportunity to help kids who haven’t had a chance to fall in love with the water as he did.
“In inner-city neighborhoods, you don’t envision a blue ocean, so they might not see a connection between their clean-up efforts and the results,” he said. “I want to show them what they’ve protected and show them the magnificence of ocean.”
For more information about Kids & Fishing or to make a donation, visit www.kidsandfishing.org.
Contender gives kids well-earned day at sea
by Annie Lubinsky
Photos By: Chris Miller
Kids & Fishing’s New Boat donated by Charles & Carmen Brown, owners of Brown Bros. Auto Body & Paint Shop
The fishing vessel Contender began its maiden voyage from Redondo Beach harbor Thursday, taking with her a dozen or so teenagers from the Los Angeles Conservation Corps’ Clean and Green program. The half-day trip was the group’s reward for their clean-up efforts during their participation in the program.
“Each participant over the eight weeks prevents 400 pounds of garbage from entering the ocean,” said John Sakacs, captain of the Contender. “Yes, they have earned their morning on a boat.”
The Redondo Beach resident founded the non-profit organization Kids & Fishing with a basic idea in mind: “Anyone who helps the environment, in particular the ocean, will be rewarded with half a day on the water so they can make a connection with what they’re working to protect,” he said. Sakacs took the first group out in 2004; to date, about 1,000 kids have been treated to a half-day’s voyage. On Thursday, Sakacs said, the Contender ran perfectly. “It’s such a beautiful boat. The Brown family in Long Beach donated it, and Flying Cloud Yacht brokers surprised me — they were the most generous people I ever met,” Sakacs said. Flying Cloud has lined up other boat donations, is handling the sales and will send the proceeds to Kids & Fishing to fund the organization’s new “City 2 the Sea” program. “We’re trying to bring more marine science to all we’re doing,” said Sakacs. “One of my board members is a microbiologist who envisions getting microscopes on the boat. That’s the direction we’re going.” On Thursday’s trip, Sakacs taught the group about boat safety and navigation before heading out of the harbor. “The kids had a great time. They loved the seals and saw a lot of wildlife,” he said. Fishing was good, as the kids pulled up three mackerel in the first few minutes. “About 90 percent of them had never been fishing before,” Sakacs said. That’s quite a difference from his own upbringing. “My dad took me fishing as a kid in upstate New York, and then when I moved to California in 1983, I fell in love with the ocean,” he said. Sakacs sees Kids & Fishing as his opportunity to help kids who haven’t had a chance to fall in love with the water as he did.
“In inner-city neighborhoods, you don’t envision a blue ocean, so they might not see a connection between their clean-up efforts and the results,” he said. “I want to show them what they’ve protected and show them the magnificence of ocean.”
For more information about Kids & Fishing or to make a donation, visit www.kidsandfishing.org.