By Kenneth L. Kieser
Northeast News
July 24, 2012

This recent news item made me sick: “Young man on meth kills two young Northland mothers.”

I feel horrible for the young women who lost their lives and all the kids and young adults in Kansas City who lose this same type of battle almost daily.

Meth! Apparently a drug that would make someone crazy enough to kill two mothers because he could not have sex with one – so he killed them both – not the act of a rational thinking human. But apparently the act of one stoned on Meth.

I am totally against illegal drugs, but once ran with the pot crowd – back in the hippie days. Most of my buddies from those lost times are deceased. Those of us who are still around are drug free.

True, we are older and smarter now, but those from my group who did not get smarter are dead! One close friend became strung out for many years and lost his identity. When he died there was no funeral or wake, just cremation – and disposal of the ashes by cousins – absolutely no legacy. Just the end of a drugged out life.

I only lived that bad scene for a short time in my life, not even a year – but long enough to learn about the dangers. Shortly after that I resumed being a Christian and working out in boxing and karate. But more importantly, I still had my beautiful outdoor life to continue – thank God!

But this column is not to preach, admit my youthful stupidity or even to discuss the horrors of illegal drugs. Many years ago I dedicated my writing career to introducing kids to the grand outdoor experience. Now I have dedicated the rest of my life to that very purpose and have already done so several years.

I was rewarded for this journey that hopefully is far from over by my induction into the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame as a Legendary Communicator in 2010. My induction was partly because of 30 some years of writing newspaper and magazine articles about fishing and partly because of my writing, speaking and work towards introducing kids to the good, clean outdoor experience.

I never intended my kids programs for personal rewards, but sometimes things work out like that.

This column is dedicated to the woman and families who must carry on without their loved ones, up north or downtown. But even more so, this column is dedicated to introducing kids to fishing or other outdoor experiences.

Peer pressure for kids has never been greater, so I offer this: let’s give our kids a chance to be hooked on fishing, not on drugs. I will personally do seminars for any community or organization, healthy and/or mentally or challenged kids, and you only have to pay my expenses – and that don’t cost much, especially compared to the possible rewards.

Youth with positive outside activities tend to make better grades in school and stay out of trouble. My seminars trains parents or guardians on how to take kids fishing and then I work with the kids with fishing tackle and sometimes actually fishing when possible.

We can’t help those poor women who died because of a young man on drugs or these same type of criminal acts in Kansas City or other places. But perhaps we can stop this happening in our corner of the world or at least slow it down.

You can contact me at: kkieser@comcast.net or leave a message for me to contact you through this paper’s sports page or simply let me email you tips for taking a kid fishing.

Let’s get a fishing rod in your kid’s hands!