Kudos to everyone who made it happen. You may down play your involvement, but this is the "education" part of the mission. The pictures reveal a very professional and educational display. I need to make the drive one of these years. Well done.

Dear Fish Fest 2008 Participant,
On behalf of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery Visitor Center, I would like to thank you for taking part in Fish Fest 2008. Fish Fest has grown to become a much anticipated annual event in southwest Michigan. The event provides visitors with a unique opportunity to learn about the diverse outdoor recreation opportunities in Michigan and how individuals and organizations are working to conserve and manage our State's extraordinary natural resources.
While we had a smaller than usual turnout due to the weather conditions, our spirits, and those of the devoted 450 visitors who braved the rain on Saturday, were not dampened. With sunny skies and comfortable temperatures on Sunday, some 779 visitors made their way to the festival to enjoy the many booths and activities that were offered bringing the two day total to 1,229 visitors.
The catch and release fishing program once again proved to be the highlight of the festival with 406 anglers taking to the Show Pond to test their skills at landing the "big one". A total of 83 fish were caught including bluegill, Chinook salmon and steelhead trout with the largest fish being a 24" steelhead caught on Sunday.
Other highlights of the festival include:
107 volunteers with 1,041 hours of service
22 booth and activity stations
12 conservation organizations represented
24 hatchery tours with 325 people
3 nature hikes with 32 people
109 people fished virtually on the fishing simulator
Enclosed with this letter is a Volunteer Evaluation. Please take a moment to complete the evaluation and send it back to us at your earliest convenience. Your comments and suggestions will help us to improve this event in the future.
Your participation at Fish Fest helped to promote outdoor recreation and the conservation of natural resources in Michigan. It is a contribution that will, without a doubt, benefit many future generations. Thank you.
Mark your calendars for Fish Fest 2009 on Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19. We look forward to another successful event next year and hope you will join us.

Sincerely,
Shana McMillan, Interpreter
Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery Visitor Center
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
34270 County Road 652, Mattawan, Ml 49071
Phone: 269-668-2876
Fax: 269-668-4487
Email: ** you do not have permission to see this link **

Shana also left a hand written note that said:
The Michigan Muskie Alliance is always a pleasure to have at Fish Fest. Your continued support is very much appreciated.