Washington, D.C. /May 30, 2023 /OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – The National Park Trust, National Park Service (NPS), and Our Military Kids partnered earlier this month to bring military personnel and their families to Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland for a day of fishing on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean.

The NPS awarded funds to the National Park Trust, which is partnering with Our Military Kids to provide National Guard, Reserve, and post 9/11 combat-injured service members and their families with access to recreational fishing opportunities in national park sites across the country. With the help of Trout Unlimited volunteers, families are learning how to fish, getting time to put their new skills into action, and then they go home with their own fishing gear so they can come back and fish again.

“We are thrilled to be working with the National Park Trust and NPS to enjoy idyllic National Parks in locations close to Our Military Kids alumni and their families!” said Kara Dallman, retired U.S. Navy Veteran and Executive Director of Our Military Kids. “Military families have served and sacrificed, and these outings are about relaxing, enjoying, and introducing them to the great sport of fishing.

“This event presented the perfect outdoor recreational opportunity for Trout Unlimited’s Service Partnership Program to show our gratitude to those who give selflessly for the Nation,” said Eric Gregory, a volunteer for Trout Unlimited.

As part of this event, participating military families were presented with their Interagency Military Annual Pass, which provides entrance or access for one year to more than 2,000 federal recreational sites, including all National Park Service sites, for current members of the military and their dependents. Veterans, and Gold Star families received the Interagency Military Lifetime Pass which does not require an annual renewal.

“Assateague Island National Seashore provides incredible fishing opportunities right for Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia families. We are excited to introduce military families to fishing on Assateague Island. The shoreline is a place where military families can easily come back to and fish whenever they like,” said Liz Davis, Chief, Interpretation & Education for Assateague Island National Seashore. “This is one small way to thank them for their service. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate and connect our military families with opportunities to recreate in and enjoy their local national park site.”

“National Park Trust is honored to partner with the Our Military Kids and the National Park Service to engage National Guard and Reserve families as we work to establish lifelong relationships between local military communities and local national park sites. Teaching each family how to fish and then providing families with fishing equipment they can take with them will allow participants to continue enjoying this recreational activity and create more family memories in the great outdoors,” said Grace Lee, National Park Trust executive director.

This event at Assateague Island National Seashore is the first of four outdoor recreation events in 2023 at national park sites nationwide. Other event locations include Mount Rainier National Park, WA, Biscayne National Park, FL, and Cabrillo National Monument, CA.

ABOUT NATIONAL PARK TRUST

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2023, National Park Trust’s mission is to preserve parks today and create park stewards for tomorrow. Since 1983, the Park Trust has acquired many of the missing pieces of our national parks, benefiting 52 national park sites. Our national youth education and family initiatives, including our Buddy Bison Programs and National Kids to Parks Day, serve hundreds of Title I schools annually and cultivate future park stewards. We believe that our public parks, lands, and waters should be cared for, enjoyed, and preserved by all for current and future generations. Find out more at parktrust.org.

Media Contact: Ivan Levin at 540.818.5818 or ivan@parktrust.org.

ABOUT OUR MILITARY KIDS

Our Military Kids recognizes the sacrifice of children (ages 3-18) of deployed National Guard, deployed Reserve, or post-9/11 combat-injured service members or Veterans by offering extracurricular activity grants that build children’s self-confidence, enhance family wellness, and strengthen a shared sense of community. Since 2004, Our Military Kids has proudly provided 77,000 activity grants worth $30 million to children and teens across the country. For more information, please visit ourmilitarykids.org.

Media Contact: Michelle Criqui at 703-734-6654 or mediainquiries@ourmilitarykids.org.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 424 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.