Receiving a $4,200 donation for the Oklahoma Fishing in the Schools Program from Myles Williams (center) of the Paul George Foundation are J.D. Strong, Wildlife Department director; Colin Berg, Education Section supervisor; Daniel Griffith, OKFITS coordinator; and Nels Rodefeld, Information and Education chief. (Photo courtesy
February 09, 2018
By Game & Fish Online Staff
AUGUST 10, 2016:Paul George of team United States (R) in action during basketball game between Team USA and Australia at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. (Shutterstock image)
Through his foundation, NBA star Paul George supports an Oklahoma program geared toward exposing school-age kids to fishing.
An NBA all-star is supporting a youth fishing program in Oklahoma City that exposes school-age kids to the sport.
Paul George, who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder , donated $4,200 to the Oklahoma Fishing in the Schools program, according to an Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation news release.
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The donation, made through the Paul George Foundation, will help pay travel expenses for fourth-graders from 13 OKC urban schools who are participating in the program.
In November, George, an fisherman since his youth, kicked off his foundation's outdoors initiative by hosting 45 fourth-graders from Stanley Hupfeld Academy for a day of fishing with the star on the Oklahoma River. (Read the story from NBA.com )
The donation was presented by foundation representative Myles Williams at February's regular meeting of the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission , according to the news release.
Receiving a $4,200 donation for the Oklahoma Fishing in the Schools Program from Myles Williams (center) of the Paul George Foundation are J.D. Strong, Wildlife Department director; Colin Berg, Education Section supervisor; Daniel Griffith, OKFITS coordinator; and Nels Rodefeld, Information and Education chief. (Photo courtesy
"As you know, he only has a one-year contract (with the Thunder), so he wanted to come into Oklahoma City and have an impact right away to help the kids," Williams said of George.
The foundation project has added 1,300 fourth-graders to the Oklahoma Fishing in the Schools program, which started in 2011 and has seen tremendous growth since.
Colin Berg, Education Section supervisor with the Wildlife Department, told the Commission the program has grown from 6,100 students at the start to more than 31,000.
More than 350 schools are active in the program statewide. OKFITS provides teacher training and a department-developed curriculum. Fishing kits for the participating kids include rods, reels and lures.
