Donations, June 12 tournament to help land kayaks for youth program

The first set of HERYN (Helping Engage our River's Youth with Nature) program days are set to kick off on June 21, with a different group of 12 young people, ages 10-13, participating each day over a six-day week.

Representatives with NuCanoe, an American-made kayaking and canoe company out of Washington state, have helped the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association obtain a fleet of NuCanoe Flint kayaks at a very reasonable price. To help toward matching/in kind grant funds, we are accepting donations toward the final costs of these kayaks.​

There are two ways to get involved with this initiative. One of which is to donate directly to our HERYN kayak fund via the following secure DonorBox funding platform:

The other way to contribute to this initiative is via a special fundraising tournament on Saturday, June 12, at the Shickshinny Boat Launch. Organizer John Oast provided the following details and rules for the benefit tournament:

• This is charity event to support the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association's HERYN youth camp. The camp will be free of charge for students, designed to promote awareness of the Susquehanna River, angling, and paddling. This charity event will not have cash prizes, in an effort to best support the HERYN program. All proceeds go to the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper to purchase six NuCanoe Flints.
• Event participants: $40.00
• Meet-and-Greet/Open Fishing: Donations Appreciated
• Event will be catch-photo-release (CPR), with designated identifier distributed immediately prior to the event. Please ensure that photos are visible and clear on device at time of weigh-in, in case there is not appropriate computer compatibility for download of photograph files.
• Submitted fish must be on an approved Hawg Trough or Ketch Board, to be inspected at time of registration.
• Submitted fish must be photographed with a closed mouth and natural tail lay.
• Photographs to be reviewed at time of weigh-in.
• Species: Smallmouth Bass / Largest Fish (Open Species) - This is a single-fish event. The largest (length) fish submitted by an angler is registered.
• Registration: 6:00am - 6:30am - Shickshinny, PA Boat Access
• Launch Time: 6:30am (Participants may not launch prior to designated time)
• Weigh-In Time: 2:00pm (Return to Shickshinny Boat access with submitted fish photographs.
• All participants must wear a USCG approved PFD while fishing or underway on the water.
• All fish must be caught from inside of vessel, or with vessel tethered (secured by line) to the angler.
• All submitted fish photographs must be taken from inside the vessel.
• All participants must utilize a human-powered watercraft. Electric/combustion propulsion not permitted.
• Any public access point on the Susquehanna River is permitted. There is no boundary range, as long as the angler returns to the weigh-in in time.
• All fish caught by participants must be safely released. This is a no-kill / no-harvest event.
• Natural and artificial baits are permitted, as long as they are permissible by PFBC regulations.
• All anglers must have appropriate fishing licenses, launch permits, etc.
• Prize donations accepted.
• Rules subject to change.

For any other questions about this initiative, contact Riverkeeper John Zaktansky via email at midsusriver@gmail.com or call 570-768-6300