Zebco, America's largest manufacturer of rods and reels, has partnered with the Sierra Club Water Sentinels, The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation’s Take Me Fishing campaign, and the National Military Fish Wildlife Association to distribute 1,866 rod and reel sets to 60 military bases in 21 states. Since the program's launch in 2009, more than 87,620 youth have benefited from the program. Thanks to the alliance, each year 36,000 youth on U.S. military installations are able to explore and appreciate aquatic ecosystems through fishing.
"Supporting this program was a natural decision for us," according to Zebco President Jeff Pontius. "By providing the refurbished rods and reels to military families, we not only show support for our troops, but also engage new young anglers in the sport of fishing and contribute to conservation."