In partnership with the Russell County Physical Activity/Wellness/Diabetes Coalition, Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery and the Friends of Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery, Inc launched a new initiative designed to encourage children and their families to get active and get outdoors called “Let’s Go Outside!.”  The program, which targeted 4^th graders in the Russell County School System, kicked off Monday, March 30^th, 2009 and concluded on Friday, April 24^th, 2009.  To participate in the event, each student was given a list of activities, all designed to promote physical activity and direct connections with nature, to take home and complete with their parents/guardians.  Upon completion of the activities, each child’s parent/guardian signed the sheet to verify his or her participation.  At the end of the 4 weeks, the school with the largest percentage of 4^th graders participating was given a $400 scholarship (supported via a donation by the Friends Group) to use towards a school outing to any outdoor destination of their choice within Russell County.  In addition to the field trip scholarship, each child who took part in the program was also entered into a drawing to win a prize (one of several fishing poles donated by the Friends Group), and all children who participated received a small accolade for their efforts.

Feedback on the program was immensely positive, and the coalition commemorated the conclusion of the 4 week project via encouraging participation from amongst all of the classes at the hatchery’s annual Earth Day Celebration, held on Saturday, April 25^th, 2009.