MAYPORT, Fla. \u2013 Military families in the Jacksonville area will have a special opportunity this Saturday to connect with nature and each other through a free fishing clinic at Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park near Mayport.<\/p>\n
The event is organized in partnership with Blue Star Families, the Timucuan Parks Foundation, the National Park Service\u2019s Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, and JaxParks.<\/p>\n
It aims to educate and inspire children from military households by teaching them fishing skills and introducing them to the area\u2019s rich natural resources.<\/p>\n
Felicia Boyd, program and outreach director for the Timucuan Parks Foundation, explained that the clinic is designed to serve military families who are often new to the area and may feel isolated.<\/p>\n
Felicia Boyd, program and outreach director for the Timucuan Parks Foundation, explained that the clinic is designed to serve military families who are often new to the area and may feel isolated. (WJXT)<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are new families that are in a new area. They don\u2019t know what there is to do,\u201d Boyd said. \u201cThey\u2019re isolated, everyone they\u2019re meeting is new, and so this is an opportunity to bring these families together. It\u2019s intergenerational \u2014 the families are learning how to fish together, plus they are meeting other military families.\u201d<\/p>\n
The children, ranging in age from 6 to 17, will rotate through stations that will teach them casting, knot-tying, and ethical angling. <\/p>\n
They will also hear a presentation on Gullah Geechee fishing traditions by Levon White of the Cosmo Preservation Corporation before heading out to fish on a small island within the park.<\/p>\n
At the end of the clinic, participants receive a junior ranger angler fishing booklet and get to keep their own fishing pole.<\/p>\n
At the end of the clinic, participants receive a junior ranger angler fishing booklet and get to keep their own fishing pole. (WJXT)<\/p>\n
Boyd emphasized that the event is about more than just fishing \u2014 it\u2019s about helping military families feel welcome and connected to their new community.<\/p>\n
\u201cHanna Park is right at Mayport\u2019s back door,\u201d she said. \u201cNow they\u2019re comfortable coming to this park and they can go fishing, or hiking, biking, boating, kayaking, canoeing, disc golf \u2014 there\u2019s lots of things to do here.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fishing clinic is part of a broader effort by the Timucuan Parks Foundation to reach \u201cnon-traditional audiences\u201d and introduce more people to Jacksonville\u2019s extensive urban park system, which is the largest in the United States.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do a lot of programming for seniors, women and girls, urban teens, young adults with special needs, and now military families,\u201d Boyd said. \u201cWe want to get people aware of these parks and how precious and valuable they are.\u201d<\/p>\n
This Saturday\u2019s event has already reached capacity, but the foundation plans to hold additional fishing clinics throughout the year, including one in March as part of the Seven Creeks Fest, which will feature kayaking, canoeing, environmental exhibits, music, food trucks, and guided hikes.<\/p>\n
Military families in the Jacksonville area will have a special opportunity this Saturday to connect with nature and each other through a free fishing clinic at Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park near Mayport. (WJXT)<\/p>\n
The program is funded by a substantial grant from the National Park Foundation, which supports multiple fishing clinics and other outdoor activities aimed at connecting diverse communities with nature.<\/p>\n
Boyd shared her personal passion for the outdoors and the benefits of nature for wellbeing.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can take a walk around your neighborhood, but it\u2019s not the same as taking a walk in the woods,\u201d she said. \u201cThe immersiveness here relaxes your mood. We partner with UNF\u2019s Nature and Wellness Center, and they\u2019ve done research on nature therapy. The fishing clinic is just one more way to get people outdoors and engaging with their environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
For military families new to Jacksonville, this event offers a chance to build community, learn new skills, and discover the natural beauty right outside their doorstep.<\/p>\n
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