About
While Fishing Poles for Kids Oregon Coast is a relatively new entity, the genesis of this wonderful program started way back in 2009. We owe a debt of gratitude to a very kind gentleman from Bandon named Earl Rankin, who truly devoted himself to helping children and making their world a better place.
Earl was a retired firefighter who had moved from Southern California to the Oregon Coast. In 2009, Earl walked into Tony's Crab Shack in old town Bandon and handed Tony two Zebco rod and reel outfits, asking the owner Tony Roszkowskl to "Find a good home for them."
Just a few days later, a little girt came into Tony's tackle shop and asked If she could buy a fishing rod and reel for $5. Of course Tony didn't have an outfit for $5, but he remembered the rods Earl had brought in and gave her one of those outfits for free. Then her little sister came in and asked if he had an outfit for her, too, so Tony gave her the other rod. Tony told Earl how happy his rods had made those little girls and in Earl's mind ... the Kids Fish Free Program had begun.
With that, Tony and Earl started collecting old fishing outfits from the community, and Eart refurbished them to give away. The only rules for the program were there would never be any paperwork involved, and kids would never have to qualify for the program. They only needed to be under 14 years old and want to fish.
Earl refurbished countless rods for kids, putting a lot of love into each restoration, wanting each rod to be very special for the children they went to. Tony then told his good pal Richard DeChambeau (the host of Oregon Outdoors) about the program, and Richard started talking about this amazing effort each week on the radio. Tony then officially named the program "Kids Fish Free" because, that's what it was all about.
After Richard passed away, Cam Parry and Dan Barnett took over their dear friend Richard's old radio time slot with "Hooked on Oregon" and were equally enthusiastic about supporting Earl and Tony's wonderful Kids Fish Free Program. Cam called it the "No child left inside program." After the incredible Earl Rankin passed, Carm DeFranco (a retired Alaska guide and tackle shop owner) stepped up to assist Tony with the program. Some other amazing individuals including Dave Romanowski of the Coquille Marine Corps League and Steve Tucker of the Steve Tucker Superstore also stepped up to help.
Dave put up a dynamic effort raising money and awareness so more and more children can have free rods and reels each year, while Steve hosts an annual Christmas Kids Fish Free rod giveaway for children at his store each December. Dave's goal is for the program was to give away hundreds of new rods and reels throughout the year.
In 2023, Romanowski approached Bill "Bulldog" Sump, the Commandant of the Lincoln County Marine Corps League to carry on the fishing pole giveaway for children program. As a result, in 2024, Fishing Poles for Kids Oregon Coast was formed as a nonprofit entity in Lincoln County, Oregon.