Chattahoochee Riverkeeper will host its Becca Sue Klein All Kids Fish program in partnership with Piedmont Park Conservancy on Saturday, Aug, 24 in Atlanta.

Through collaborations with local nonprofit organizations, 30 children from the metro Atlanta area will participate in the program at no cost and dip their toes into the world of fly fishing and environmental conservation at Piedmont Park’s Clara Meer Lake.

Now in its fifth year, the Becca Sue Klein All Kids Fish program hosted by Chattahoochee Riverkeeper seeks to ignite a passion for fly fishing and conservation among all kids between the ages of 10 to 18. Students participate in full-day fly-fishing retreats where they learn how to cast a fly rod, tie knots, use fishing gear, and safely handle fish. They also learn about native species and how a healthy river ecosystem sustains life.

Each child is paired with an experienced volunteer angler for one-on-one fly-fishing mentorship. Thanks to the generosity of The Orvis Company, all participants receive their own fly-fishing rods to take home so that they may continue honing their skills.

“These events are about more than just fishing,” says program founder Becca Sue Klein. “They are about instilling a sense of respect and responsibility for our natural resources in the next generation of environmental advocates and water stewards. Chattahoochee Riverkeeper is grateful to partners like Piedmont Park Conservancy and The Orvis Company for their incredible support of this program.”

This year, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper has partnered with non-profit partners LaAmistad, PFLAG Atlanta, the Center for Pan Asian Community Services, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta to engage youth from underrepresented communities within the Chattahoochee River watershed. Together, this collective effort provides meaningful experiences for children to participate in the sport and feel empowered to protect our urban waterways.