I hate asking people for money. I’m terrible at selling things. Put it this way… when I was a kid, I had to sell M&Ms candies as a fundraiser for the swim team, and my parents ended up buying something like 40 boxes of M&Ms because I couldn’t ring the doorbells in my neighborhood. The worst part of that story is that my father actually worked for M&Ms.
Unlike most magazine editors these days, I have absolutely zero to do with ad sales for TROUT magazine. I’m old-school, and I don’t like to mix business with editorial. Also, for the record, while I do give to causes I believe in (Trout Unlimited included), I don’t like sending in a check only to get a letter with another “ask” within days or weeks. I get all that.
But that said, I am asking you to think about a special year-end donation to Trout Unlimited, and I have three straightforward reasons why:
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I believe in the organization. There are many great organizations that advocate on behalf of anglers, and they’re all important. But only TU has the staff of experts, and legions of volunteers with “boots in the water.” It’s the one organization that’s actually making miles of water fishable, every year. At the end of the day, good trout fishing depends on good trout habitat, and nobody does habitat like TU. Period.
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The need has never been greater. Let’s put all the silly political conversations on the back burner, and agree that somebody must do something to make the water good for all anglers. It seems to me that dedicated anglers should be the first in line to make that happen.
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Your dollars go further, right now. Through the “Member Match” campaign, every dollar donated is doubled. You give $50, it becomes $100. And because TU leverages a massive volunteer network to get work done, on average, every dollar invested in the cause yields eight times the return.
We can, of course, talk about how all that cold, clean trout water ultimately flows downstream. We can also talk about how TU is leading the way in mentoring youth… and striving for more diversity in fly fishing… and serving our nation’s veterans by showing them solace on the water. We can talk about traditions, and cultures, and families, and the camaraderie connected to trout fishing.
But at the end of the day, what we’re really talking about is conscience. Is it ultimately all about what comes out of the water, or what goes back into the water? That’s up to you, and truthfully, your support by way of action and ethos is as important, no… even more important, than dollars.
That said, if you’re thinking about kicking in financially for the cause, please consider us, and consider doing so now. Your money will be well-spent, and it will help make fishing better for everyone.
That’s all I have to say, and I won’t say it again for at least another year. For me, it’s back to fishing, and making magazines, and other content that hopefully entertains, informs and helps you get the most out of your time on the water. My sincere best wishes to you and yours for a great, fish-filled 2018, and thank you for your consideration.
— K.Deeter, Editor-in-Chief, TROUT magazine