AMVETS PARTNERS WITH NATIONAL RETAILER
   TO PROVIDE FREE FAMILY SUMMER ACTIVITIES

Springfield, Missouri—(May 27, 2009) With families struggling through the economic downturn, one of AMVETS newest partners Bass Pro Shops has decided to do something to help families enjoy activities together as a family at a very affordable price – absolutely free!

Beginning Saturday, May 30th and continuing through Sunday, July 5th, Family Summer Camp events will be held at Bass Pro Shops destination retail stores across America and Canada (crafts and workshops only will be held at Miami, FL and Branson, MO) and AMVETS will be a part of it.

“Since its inception following WWII, one of AMVETS primary missions has been to educate America’s youth on the tenets of patriotism and service to our country,” said AMVETS National Commander John C. Hapner. “By working with Bass Pro Shops on the Family Summer Camp events, we will be able to teach thousands of children through this unique, free program.”

Every Saturday and Sunday stores will be offering free craft activities for the kids including decorating a fishing bobber, making key chains, designing their own birdhouse, creating plaster animal tracks and painting a souvenir wooden lure for Dad.
There will also be an AMVETS coloring page that kids can color and take home with them.

AMVETS will also have a full page ad in a Field & Stream magazine hand out featuring  all kinds of free information on how to enjoy the great outdoors. 

The whole family will enjoy free outdoor workshops about hiking, camping and fishing basics. Other workshops include bird watching, archery, animal identification, plants & insects, and even how to make campfire S’mores. Kids will earn a collectable pin for every workshop completed.

Store activities will vary but could include a laser shooting gallery, casting pond, soft strike foam bow range and BB gun range. You can even have a souvenir photo made or test drive a kayak in the kayak pool. Again, absolutely free!

“This is our way of helping families enjoy affordable, fun activities together and create lifelong memories,” stated Bass Pro Shops President Jim Hagale. “Bass Pro Shops is committed to helping adults and children put away their laptops, video games, and cell phones this summer and head outdoors.” 

Bass Pro Shops Family Summer Camp provides families the opportunity to improve their outdoor skills and reconnect with the outdoors. This is a great time to increase awareness and interest in becoming good stewards of the land and its natural resources, to feel good about themselves and to improve their general health and well-being. Here are some supporting facts and figures:

• Long-term health concerns among children are increasing. According to information from the US Fish and Wildlife Web site (www.fws.gov), Americans, kids especially, spend less time playing outdoors than any preceding generation.
• Kids spend an average of 6.5 hours a day with television, computers and video games and are six times more likely to play a video game than ride a bike.

• According to information from the US Fish and Wildlife site, nature is good for your health.  New research shows that children who feel connected to nature have better physical, mental, and emotional health.  Other various studies have shown that kids that engage in outdoor classrooms have improved grades and test scores.

• These same studies show that kids involved in the outdoors are more motivated to learn and achieve.
• Studies suggest that families that interact together outdoors create lasting bonds by making life-long memories.

For more information on the free Bass Pro Shops Family Summer Camp, go to www.basspro.com/camp.

About Bass Pro Shops Group:
Bass Pro Shops -55 retail stores in 26 states and Canada visited by over 100 million people annually, international catalog and internet retailing, American Rod & Gun  wholesale division selling to over 7,000 independently owned retail stores worldwide, Outdoor World Incentives also selling Bass Pro Shops gift cards through over 132,000 retail outlets across America  and a restaurant division with 26 locations.

Tracker Marine Group – Manufactures and sells Tracker, Nitro, SunTracker, Tahoe, Grizzly, Fisher, Pro Craft, Kenner, Mako, and SeaCraft boats through Bass Pro Shops retail stores and over 400 dealers worldwide.

Resort Group – Big Cedar Lodge and other resort properties including restaurants and golf course.

For more information regarding Bass Pro Shops store locations, products or special events, please visit www.basspro.com. To request a free catalog call 1-800-BASS PRO.

Contact:         

Larry Whiteley - (417) 873-5022 - lwhiteley@basspro.com
Katie Mitchell -  (417) 873-5618 - kamitchell@basspro.com
Jenna Kendall - (417) 873-5059 - jmkendall@basspro.com