b'More Rods & Reels for KidsS ometimes theres a silver lining to trying situations.Last year the pandemic prompted increased demand in the Palm Beach County Fishing Foundations (PBCFF) Rods & Reels for Kids program.Since area youth groups are looking for safe outdoor oriented activities, introducing young people to fishing has been on the rise.For over 20 years, the PBCFF has been do-nating rod & reel combos and tackle kits to local youth groups. During 2020 the PBCFF donated over 500 new rods & reels and tackle kits, more than any previous year.The city of West Palm Beach recreation programs at Gaines Park and Howard Park, the WPB Athletics Program, The Pleasant City Youth Empowerment program, Various Boys & Girls Clubs from throughout both Palm Beach and Martin County, Boy Scout Troop 711 from West Jupiter, the City of Riviera Beach Parks and Recreation program, the Jupiter River Center, the Lake Worth Lagoon Water Keepers and Boys Town have all received donations of tackle from the PBCFF.The demand for new combos and tackle kits has remained strong this year as well.Special thanks to West Palm Beach Fishing Club (WPBFC) board mem-ber Bob Weigt and club volunteer George Patane for helping us get connected to some of these groups.Also, a huge thank you to all the PBCFFs Rods andReelsforKids sponsors, including the Dennis G. Punches Charitable Foundation, Jay & Bobbie Young, Dave McConnaughay memorial do-nors, Bill & Clare Bohnett, Austin & Janie Musselman and many other members of the WPBFC.Rods & Reels for Kids is dedicated to the late Jim Ewing who helped initiate this effort and was a former WPBFC board member.The goal of the program is simply to place fishing tackle into the hands of kids and local youth groups that often do not have adequate resources to obtain their own gear.Getting kids connected to the outdoors through fishing is the kind of silver lining we like to see.Contact the WPBFC if you know of a family or group that would be a good fit for this program.48 W esTP aLmB eachF ishingc LuB'