Young people ages five to 17 and their parents or guardians are invited to enjoy a day of outdoor fun at the TWRA Region IV Office in Morristown on Aug. 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Three Rivers Longbeards Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) will host the Allen Ricks Memorial JAKES Day event. Allen Ricks was the TWRA Region IV Information and Education coordinator who was an active member of the chapter that invested heavily in youth events.
Event registration costs $10 per participant and includes lunch for the youth participant and one adult. Extra adult fees are $5 per person. Pre-registration is required by Aug. 1.
“This is an opportunity for kids to get away from the TV for a day and discover how exciting the outdoors can be,” said Kevin Rouse, who is a member of the Three Rivers Longbeards NWTF chapter. “It’s also a great time for kids to connect with their parents or grandparents by doing hands-on activities they both enjoy.”
Supervised activities will include trap shooting, archery, rim fire and air rifle shooting, hunting safety, electrofishing demonstrations by TWRA, turkey calling demonstrations, and more. Door prizes include game calls, guns, and more.
Local and state NWTF chapters host thousands of similar events nationwide each year to introduce youth to the outdoors through the JAKES Hunting Heritage program. JAKES stands for Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship, which conveys the NWTF’s dedication to educating the next generation of smart, ethical hunters.
Many families enjoy hunting together and pass traditions on from one generation to another. Hunting also is important for the health of our nation’s wildlife and habitat because hunters fund conservation. Wild turkeys, and the management and hunting that go with them, contribute $2 billion to the American economy each spring.
For information about the Allen Ricks Memorial JAKES Day event, contact Rosemary White at 423 581-9271 or mail registration forms to Rosemary White, 868 Foxglove Lane, Morristown, Tn. 37814.