National Mentoring Month - "Be Someone Who Matters to Someone Who Matters"

 January is National Mentoring Month and the theme is "Be Someone Who Matters to Someone Who Matters." This Thursday, Jan 9 is "I Am A Mentor Day." Celebrating and recruiting mentors and raising the awareness about quality mentoring are the main goals of this national campaign.  For more information, visit: www.mpmn.org  or www.nationalmentoringmonth.org.

·         Firearms Safety training is being delivered to Big Brothers Big Sisters organization starting this Saturday morning at Tradition Creek Outfitters in St Paul. Additional instructors could be used. Please contact KongShia Thao at koomsiab@msn.com to be a part of the training.

·         Ice fish for free on January 18 - 20, 2014 for its Take-A-Kid Ice Fishing Weekend: A resident age 16 years or older may take fish by angling without an angling license and may take fish by spearing from a dark house without a spearing license and without a fish house or dark house license if the resident is accompanied by a child who is under age 16. There are also a variety of organized fishing opportunities throughout the state during Take a Kid Ice Fishing Weekend so check out this web site (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/minnaqua/icefishing/index.html) and the below mentioned events.

·         Lake Harriet Winter Kitefest will take place on Jan 18 from Noon to 4pm. Free admission to kites of all shapes, sizes and colors….with more fun under & over the ice with ice fishing, snowshoeing, a youth medallion hunt and a horse-drawn wagon ride. To volunteer contact Nikki at nfriederich@minneapolisparks.org or Mark Tipler at: mtipler@tipsoutdoors.org .

·         Gobble up a Mentored Turkey Hunting Adventure if you are a Youth/Women with limited turkey hunting experience.  Mentors with the National Wild Turkey Federation will show you the ropes so you and your family can be a part of the turkey hunting community. Visit www.mndnr/discover and click on either the youth or women’s portion of turkey hunting opportunity. Act fast….deadline to apply is Feb 18!

·         Big Brothers Big Sisters Ice Fishing Event on Medicine Lake on Jan 18 (9am to Noon). Volunteers are needed to help for the on-ice adventure. Contact Mark Tipler to help out at: mtipler@tipsoutdoors.org

·         Powderhorn Park (in Mpls) – Fire & Ice Event for the whole family….enjoy or volunteer with activities (from 5 to 9pm on Jan 24) that include: ice fishing, skating, arts and a campfire with smores. Contact Mark Tipler to help out at: mtipler@tipsoutdoors.org

·         The good thing about this cold is that ice is being made for the Holes For Heroes Ice Fishing Contest! Join us on February 1, 2014 on Medicine Lake from 1 to 4 PM. Military families and veteran’s fish for free; all other tickets are only $5 in advance or $10 day of. Yours truly will be the emcee of this fun filled day honoring some of our military heroes. Visit www.fishingforlife.orgto sign up!

·         Feb 1, from Noon to 3pm will be the Feb Fest Ice Fishing Tournament in Chanhassen with family ice fishing instructions provided by Tips Outdoors. Attendance is expected to be 1000+ so volunteers will be needed to help with sledding, a bonfire, ice skating and of course….ice fishing. Contact Mark Tipler for more information at: mtipler@tipsoutdoors.org 

·         7th grade Rockford Ice Fishing Experience with Three Rivers Park District and Fishing Klinic for Kids (Jim Wedell) on Feb 5th – for 60 kids in the morning and 60 more in the afternoon.  They still need volunteers and some equipment. The event will take place from 8am to about 3pm. Contact Jim at: minedser@aol.com or Ryan at: W# 763-694-7856 (rbarth@threeriversparkdistrict.org)to help.

·         6th Annual  ‘Charlie’s Hero Hunt & Sporting Clay Shoot’ for Minnesota Soldiers will take place on Saturday, March 22, 2014 at the Caribou Gun Club & Hunting Preserve in Le Sueur, MN. This event provides returning soldiers with an ‘all-expense paid’ day of upland pheasant hunting, sporting clays, lunch and camaraderie with fellow servicemen/women and outdoor enthusiasts. REGISTER by logging onto www.scottcountypf.org {Hero Hunt Page} and complete the pre-registration form, or for further information or to volunteer/contribute, contact Stacy Dvorak at 612-202-6119 or herohunt@scottcountypf.org.   

·         Learn About Fly Fishing, but didn't have anyone to show you how? During the DNR MinnAqua Beginners Fly-Fishing Weekend for Youth/Adult Pairs, youth and their adult fishing partner will team up with an experienced fly-fishing mentor to develop basic skills, learn about aquatic habitat, practice tying flies, and fish for trout together! 
Dates and Location: May 2 - 4, 2014 at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center near Lanesboro in southeast Minnesota. Activities begin Friday evening and wrap up by 2 p.m. on Sunday. For more information visit:http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/calendar/app?jsp=/templates/event.jsp&id=37363.

For more information on any of these, contact the DNR office:

Mike "Cold Front" Kurre, MN DNR

Mentoring Program Coordinator

W 651-259-5193

F 651-297-4916

Michael.Kurre@state.mn.us

www.mndnr.gov/discover

500 Lafayette Rd

St. Paul, MN 55155