CRC is proud to announce this month’s winner of the CRC Team Award. Joe Goeldner and his team, Eugene Kyle, Sandra Richardson (in memory of) Audrey Bell, Randy Wagner, Jim Moore, Jim Boyle, Mike Catron, and Rick Schroer showed superior dedication, coordination, and implementation as they worked to put on the Hooked on Fishing Not On Drugs (HOFNOD) fishing program.

 HOFNOD is a nationally-recognized program that was started in 1986 when a teenager from Florida wrote to the Future Fishermen Foundation explaining how he chose to go fishing and think through his problems instead of turning to drugs.  He wanted other youth to have an alternative to drug use and his suggestion evolved into this program.

 Fishing at CRC centers before 1998 was an activity many programmers used as an exciting program for their participants, but Joe took it to another level. Through this program, hundred of youth and teens have acquired skills of fishing and some have received their own rods and reels for participating. Joe initiated the Ohio HOFNOD program after attending the OPRA Convention in 1998.  There he met Verdie Able, Head of Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and convinced him to fund a $700.00 grant for a Fish Identification Mural for the area of Ohio. The mural was completed in 1998. At the 1999 OPRA Convention, Joe succeeded in obtaining a grant through Mr. Able for HOFNOD in the amount of $7,000.00 and in the year 2000 the grant was increased to $10,000.

 Since then, (and continuing today) through this grant, centers have been able to acquire free fishing equipment, funds for various trips, and offer their youth/ teens various programs such as Passport to Fishing, fishing events at Burnet Woods and Parky’s Farm, and fishing at Kids’ Fest.

 Kudos to Joe Goeldner and his hard working team for the marvelous work they have done and continue to do! 

Members of CRC's Hooked On Fishing Not On Drugs team