Page 15 - 2019 MAY/JUNE Outdoor Oklahoma

DARRIN HILL/ODWC

Wildlife Department Director J.D. Strong offers some instruction to the young anglers at the Oklahoma River inaugural OKFITS event.
ketball star. The foundation introduced ODWC’s (OKFITS)
program to 13 new inner-city schools in Oklahoma City. DARRIN HILL/ODWC
Several months later, the foundation gave an addi-
tional gift to the OKFITS program to support travel
expenses for the 13 schools to fishing field trips. The
fourth-graders use the Department’s curriculum to
learn about fishing and then get to visit a local fishing
lake where they learn about safety and get hands-on
experience fishing.
For many of these OKFITS students, it will be the first
time they have ever held a rod and reel, an in some cases
the first time to catch a fish.
ODWC Fisheries Chief Barry Bolton said the idea for a
fishing dock originally came up in 2018. When George inked
a three-year deal with the Thunder after his initial one-year
contract, the partners forged ahead with the dock project.
“What’s going to be different about this one is that the
dock is going to be 15 by 30 feet, and on the surface they
are going to paint the likeness of a basketball court.” It
won’t be a real court with goals, but it will give props to
the project partners.
The price tag will be around $70,000, to be split
by the Paul George Foundation, Wildlife Department
and the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Foundation.
Oklahoma City also jumped onboard to provide
dirt work and concrete work for an Americans With
Disabilities Act walkway from the parking lot along Preparing the fishing gear for the kids at the Oklahoma River is Daniel
with engineering. Griffith, OKFITS coordinator for the Wildlife Department.
MAY/JUNE 2019 13

OutdoorOK-2019-May-June.indd 13 4/17/19 2:10 PM