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AUGUSTA — The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife is looking for nominees for the 2020 Wilmot “Wiggie” Robinson Legengary Maine Guide Award.
Criteria for the award are:
* Must meet 20 year anniversary as a Registered Maine Guide. Active guide for 10 years.
* Passes a criminal background check. Law abiding citizen with no arrests for committing a crime related to: Human injury, gun laws or major hunting or fishing violations for 20 years.
* Volunteer community service. Providing education about safety and survival in the Maine woods. Introducing and educating youth about the importance of the ecosystem found in the state of Maine.
* Active on boards or committees that enhances and promotes the importance of Maine’s outdoor resources, ie: youth programs, scout leader, conservation education, safety instructor, search and rescue volunteer, active in Fish and Game club(s), guide license examiner, etc.
The award will be presented to the recipient at the annual Maine Professional Guides Association banquet.
The 2019 winner was Bonnie Holding, of Coplin Plantation. Along with guiding, Holding is a pioneer with Casting for Recovery, a national program that uses fly fishing and its related skills to help women recovering from breast cancer. Maine has the longest running Casting for Recovery program in the country, thanks Holding’s hard work and dedication. She uses her knowledge of the outdoors, her fishing skills and her engaging personality to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for this program, and help hundreds of women, according to the MIF&W.
Maine is also the only state that hosts a Casting for Recovery reunion, comprised of alumnae from the program, that attracts survivors from all over the northeast. Her tireless work has made Maines chapter of casting for recovery the envy of other states and she has spent countless hours teaching many women an appreciation of fly fishing and give them a moment to forget about their illness.
Previoius winners are Wilmot “Wiggie” Robinson (posthumously) 2009, Gil Gilpatrick 2010, Gary Corson 2011, Gardner Defoe 2012, Matthew P. Libby 2013, Don Dudley 2014, Danny Legere 2015, Richard Scribner 2016, Donald E. Helstrom, Jr 2017, Lance Wheaton, 2018.
To nominate a guide, visit maine.gov/ifw/programs-resources and submit a nomination form by Jan. 10.
