Hi there! My name is Meranda Gonska. My husband Joe and I have Pelican Lake Fish house rentals and guide service in Breezy Point MN. Joe and I both grew up with fishing being a huge part of our childhood. Neither of us had much growing up but we both had families that loved to fish not only for recreation but also to put food on the table. We both had several different fishing mentors that played big roles in our lives and we learned a lot about life through fishing. We met Diane Scott a few years ago when she sought Joe out to help her Grandson catch some crappies. Immediately we knew this kid was special, he absorbed every word we said, he asked so many questions and wanted to fish around the clock. Those of you who know Callan know I am not exaggerating. He is a very determined kid and is going to do big things in the fishing world. We have been very blessed to be a part of his journey.
Joe and I are so lucky to have such an amazing support system in our community and have always been passionate about giving back. We love getting kids out fishing that maybe haven’t had the opportunity or the ability to go. We started brainstorming ways that we could get kids out fishing on a larger scale and offer the mentorship that we were blessed to have as kids. Maybe have a local fishing clinic? A place where we could teach kids the basics? Maybe Joe could even take a kid fishing with him on scouting missions once a week? Our Mission was simply to get kids out fishing, to make sure they left with a few tools to help get them started and to make a positive impact on their life.
We started discussing our ideas with a few people in our community and the support was overwhelming. I was on the phone with Diane Scott discussing some ideas we were brainstorming and without hesitation Diane said she was totally onboard to help and that we should contact FAM because this is exactly what they were doing already. We got in touch with Jake, and the rest is history! We ended up talking on the phone for hours! Not going to lie, I got choked up several times, it was crazy how it all came together! It was everything we discussed and more. Sharing our ideas and passion for teaching life lessons through getting kids out fishing! It was the perfect fit! Within the next week we had the date set for our first clinic and all the support of this amazing organization behind us.
Our first clinic sign up went live on the FAM website and filled up within the first day. That really verified the need for this mentorship in our area! We were able to connect with so many kids in our community that had never been fishing before as well as kids that were avid fishermen that got to learn more technical skills and ask questions. They also got to learn about FAM, the Future Legends Sponsorship and the Youth Angler Quest. We had a very talented group of local guides that volunteered their time and equipment to make this day a huge success. We still have so much fun hearing all of the stories from the guides point of view. They will continue to be huge support systems for any kids who want to pursue their passion for life and fishing!
I still cant believe the way it all just came together and we look forward to the many clinics and opportunities to mentor and get kids out fishing!
- MERANDA GONSKA