A KAMO kind of weekend

Hello friends, Kids and Mentors Outdoors (KAMO) was started by myself and the readers of this column in 2007. Our goal is to create the opportunity for kids to have outdoor experiences in both group events as well as one on ones. Check us out at www.kamokids.org or on Facebook at Kids And Mentors Outdoors.

This past weekend I joined six mentors from the Baraboo River and the Dodge County Conservation (DCC) chapters of KAMO for a fun and inspiring weekend camping at Juneau County Park on Castle Rock Lake with 12 KAMO kids.

Friday, June 27 High 77, Low 51

Most of us would be tent camping for the weekend and this would be a weekend of relaxation but also nonstop fishing, tubing, swimming, playing games and eating very well. When I pulled into camp this afternoon, at what I can promise you is a campground well worth checking out, my good friend Rick Miotke was cooking burgers and brats. Rick does a lot of the cooking and ordering of food for our events and it is a huge job.

I had my 3-year-old golden retriever Red along and, as usual, she was very popular. Tonight was a simple evening centered around shore fishing, a campfire and yard games as well as cards. As always it was very cool to see a group of kids become friends in a matter of hours. I slept on the ground for the millionth time and loved it.

Saturday, June 28 High 83, Low 53

Saturday is the big day of this annual campout. After an excellent breakfast we hunkered into a place near the beach where we could swim, paddle board, have a picnic, tube and I could teach kids how to paddle troll out of my canoe. I am not the person that makes this event happen. I have to tell you, it is flawless. Rick uses his boat for the tubing and Pete Sheskey of the DCC chapter helps with boat launching and is an observer on the boat.

Lori Schulz is a retired nurse who wanted to help in her community 'DCC area' and she is flawless in watching, entertaining, and making sure the kids on meds take them.

My job was rather large and that was to teach KAMO kids, one at a time, how to paddle troll with crankbaits and night crawler harnesses while using planer boards. This job is physical. In order for my eager students to understand and possibly catch a walleye as well as paddle a canoe, everyone had to be on top of their game.

First I took out 13-year-old Jeron Hannefeld of Beaver Dam. Setting boards and explaining the process while keeping the canoe moving went very well. We paddled for a 3-mile round trip and we lucked out and Jeron caught a walleye, which we released. With all three of the boys, we talked a lot and I made the experience fun.

Next it was 8-year-old Leyton Gebo's turn. Leyton is a third grader at Mayville Elementary School and was he ever happy when he landed a walleye that once again fell for a crawler harness and was let go.

Last but certainly not least was 13-year-old Brody Mueller, who is going to be in eighth grade at Horicon Middle School. We hadn’t been paddling for two minutes when a 5-pound northern pike hit the Salmo crankbait on the end of his line. After that Brody and I had a pretty deep conversation about life, and it was epic as he also caught a walleye and a sheephead and told me that he was pretty sure his dad was fishing in heaven at the same time that we were fishing. My heart about sank when Brody told me his story, but it also was happy as I knew it was good for him.

Folks I have to tell you, from what I have witnessed for many kids in our six chapters, KAMO can be a major outdoor outlet. I found out today that Jim Braker, Ken Jacobs and his DCC chapter of KAMO are excellent at finding KAMO kids. They could use some help and I have a strong feeling that all 12 of the BRC and DCC young outdoorsmen and women are being well taken care of as well as at least 200 more between both chapters.

We ended our day with Cozy's Pizza, a campfire and a lot of yard games. Let me tell you, KAMO sucks up a lot of my time over a 12-month period but when I see the effort, success and smiles it puts on the these kids face every time, it makes it all worth it.

Greg Wagner of the Baraboo River Chapter ran a bingo game where every kid won a prize. He made his annual blueberry cobbler over the campfire to officially end our evening and everyone was very tired when we called it a day.

KAMO is worth checking out. We are willing to help start a new chapter or could use adult mentors, kids and if possible, cash!

Be kind, Sunset