ELKINS – The Randolph County Commission unanimously approved a funding request of $5,000 for May 9 Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs (HOFNOD) event during its most recent meeting.

Owen Peet, the Phil Gainer Community Center manager and HOFNOD board president, gave an informational presentation to Commissioners David Kesling and Cris Siler during the meeting.

Peet talked to the Commissioners about the massive turnout HOFNOD had for last year’s event.

“We are Hooked on Fishing and we are here for the kids in Randolph County,” Peet said. “Last year we served over 900 children at our event in just around five hours. Crazy, just a crazy amount of kids. Anyone who has been at one of our events can tell you it’s a nut house, but everyone is having a great time.”

Peet said that he is excited about this year’s Hooked on Fishing event and talked about a new partner who has helped with bringing in a new attraction.

“We are really excited about this year, we are actually partnering with the Izaak Walton League and bringing in a virtual gun simulator,” Peet said. “This is something that we are also talking about not just using Hooked on Fishing, but being able to bring it in schools because it is all virtual…It’s going to be utilized by both the Izaak Walton League and Hooked on Fishing.”

Peet thanked the Randolph County Commission for its continued support of the event over the years.

“I can not say enough about how much the county support keeps this event alive,” Peet said. “In a lot of other areas nobody has this kind of event anymore, but I feel like it’s kept alive specifically because of what this county values in being right here in the National Forest and it ties so much in with who we are. So thanks for considering this, I really do appreciate it.”

This year’s HOFNOD event is scheduled for May 9 at the Phil Gainer Center and will be free for everyone who attends. Free prizes will be given away and there will be an array of outdoor interactive activities for children.

The HOFNOD program began 21 years ago by the Future Fisherman Foundation as a way to teach youth about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and how to deal with the challenges facing them. The program continues to promote outdoor recreation, while educating children about the dangers of drug use.