CVA has become a sponsor for Pass It On—Outdoor Mentors (PIO), helping the organization’s mission to bridge the gap between target shooting and outdoor recreation through its Shooting Sports Outreach Program. Since the inception of this program, PIO has more than doubled the number of events year after year.
PIO began in 1999 as an outreach program coordinated by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, but the approach—pairing youth with adult shooting, hunting, angling and outdoor mentors—quickly grew beyond that state’s borders. Today, Alabama, Alaska, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin each host events.
“It’s been great to see our program scale across both Kansas and Iowa and it is very exciting to have other states coming to us with interest in starting a program in their state,” said PIO CEO Brittany French. “One of the only ways we can make a generational impact in the outdoors is to serve the youth in our community. I am thankful for the team we have in place that is making that impact.”
“CVA is proud to partner with Pass it On—Outdoor Mentors by supporting their efforts to provide experiences in the outdoors to the next generation,” said Forest Wilson, marketing & events coordinator for BPI Outdoors. “Companies like ours would not survive without the passing down of these great outdoor activities. We are very thankful for the mission of Pass it On and their many mentors for leading the way on this great initiative.”
“Having the support of industry leaders like CVA help further our efforts to get more kids outdoors, hunting and fishing, ensures that the future of hunting and fishing will remain bright,” said PIO President Mike Christensen. “It is essential that organizations working to recruit, retain and reactivate hunters and anglers have the support of industry.”
