Local Trout Unlimited chapter celebrates 50 years with family event Aug. 12
The Oak Brook Chapter of Trout Unlimited will celebrate 50 years of helping to conserve clean cold-water streams, rivers, and watersheds with a family-friendly free event on Saturday, Aug. 12.
The event will feature kids activities, live music, a chance to try fly casting, welcome gifts while supplies last, and information from surrounding forest preserve districts and local vendors.
It will be 2 to 6 p.m. at Central Park, 1500 Forest Gate Road in Oak Brook.
The Oak Brook Chapter of Trout Unlimited covers the entire western and southern suburban area as well as all of downstate Illinois.
A highlight will be an address by Chris Wood, national president and CEO of Trout Unlimited, the largest cold-water conservation organization in the country with more than 320,000 volunteer members. Wood is scheduled to speak at 4 p.m. about the vital role Trout Unlimited volunteer members play in hands-on conservation work, providing citizen-science to demonstrate the vital need to protect our resources, and making Trout Unlimited's views known to policymakers to ensure these environments are around for future generations.
There also will be live music by Jeff Troutman and the Parachute Adams Band beginning at 3 p.m. as well as food trucks.
The Oak Brook chapter was founded 50 years ago by fishermen and conservationists to further the goal of preserving, protecting, and restoring our cold-water streams and rivers and their headwaters. Trout and salmon need clean, cold waters to survive. That mission continues today with greater urgency and challenges than ever.
When Doug Vanerka hosted the inaugural chapter meeting at his home in 1973, the small band of founding members never envisioned the chapter would have 1,450 members by 2023.
Vanerka says: "It is remarkable how our not-for-profit, 100 percent volunteer, local TU chapter has prospered over the past 50 years."
Dave Carlson, current chapter president and Conservation Committee Chairman, comments: "TU members are passionate about these habitats which often represent the most pristine sources of water in our environment. Where would we be without someone looking after our precious home waters? Oak Brook Trout Unlimited has a strong track record in supporting cold water conservation efforts in our upper Midwest region and conducting nationally acclaimed education programs reaching well over 1,000 participants each year. Our lives are enriched by fellowship with our colleagues which is often combined with fishing for trout and other species that live in beautiful places."
The Oak Brook chapter annually engages in extensive conservation work and educational outreach, with a special emphasis on youth education. It sponsors 16 area schools with "Trout in the Classroom" programs where students in elementary to high school science classes raise trout eggs to frylings until they are released in local waters. The chapter also conducts five or more full-day Saturday classes for boys and girls for learning how to fly-fish, including fishing knots and fly tying, conservation and safety, and other subjects. The chapter recently added a STREAM Girls program to involve more young girls in STEM learning with a river and fly-fishing based conservation theme.
Chapter members have for many years joined with local groups and chapters in stream conservation and improvement projects in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan. Twice each year members participate in macro-invertebrate sampling near Grand Rapids, Michigan. Locally, the chapter also cleans a section of the DuPage River in Naperville each May and October. Fly casting instruction has been provided to members and nonmembers alike. The chapter has monthly membership meetings with guest speakers, social gatherings, and sponsors fishing outings.
The chapter is proud that the national Trout Unlimited organization has recognized its extensive activities by naming it as the 2023 recipient of the Silver Trout Award. It was chosen for one of only two awards given to Trout Unlimited's 386 chapters in recognition of the chapter's conservation impact, community engagement, fundraising, communications, and volunteer leadership development.
Marvin Strauch, education chairman and longtime chapter leader, sums up the award as follows: "While the award recognizes chapter performance over the past year, OBTU's ability to win this recognition is clearly a culmination of 50 years of contributions by a very long line of generous volunteers who have worked well together and have built our outstanding TU chapter."
Oak Brook chapter president Dave Carlson says: "The general public is invited to come out, celebrate with us, and learn more about Oak Brook Trout Unlimited, as well as the other Illinois TU chapters, and the work we do, the places we fish, and why we are committed to protecting the special places where we can enjoy the beauty of nature and pursue our sport. We hope to see you on Aug. 12."
For more information, visit www.obtu.org.