When he spotted a tackle box lying on top of the ice of a local lake near his Monticello, Minnesota home a few winters ago, young Matt Baloun had two choices. As an angler himself, the Monticello teenager could have walked away with a nice discovery of expensive lures and tackle, or he could choose to make the effort of reuniting the tackle box with its rightful owner. It was Matt’s decision, based on ethics passed down from his parents Steve and Tammy Baloun, to track the path through the snow to locate the owner of the wayward tackle box and return it to him, that was just one of the reasons this young man was selected by staff from Outdoor News and Clam Outdoors as the December 2015 Outdoor Youth of the Month.
Ironically just weeks after his act of kindness, which Baloun said “was the right thing to do,” the 11th grader had his own tackle box stolen by a not-so-ethical individual. “Matt had just received a new hard-sided rod holder with tackle boxes enclosed for his Christmas gift. He was so excited that he put all of his best tackle, lures and rod and reels into his new case. While driving up to the lake, we stopped at a restaurant and someone broke into our truck and stole all of his fishing gear and his brand new case.” said Baloun’s mother, Tammy.
With a winning prize including $250 in merchandise and a $250 cash award from Clam Outdoors, Baloun can jumpstart his efforts to re-build his collection of fishing equipment.
The Outdoor Youth of the Month program is a partnership between Outdoor News and Clam Outdoors to recognize Minnesota youth in grades 7-12 who the public have nominated thanks to their demonstrated leadership or excellence in the outdoor pursuits including: habitat restoration efforts, archery, the shooting sports, or mentored fishing and hunting programs.
In addition to holding himself to a high standard of ethics in the field, Baloun is an outdoorsman who is involved in multiple sports including wrestling, football, and track and field. He has a passion for trapshooting, and in a piece that appeared in the Dec. 18 issue of Minnesota Outdoor News, Baloun shared his goals for the future and highlights involving his opportunity to serve as a mentor to other youth hunters.
The Outdoor Youth of the Month recipient also receives a plaque and a subscription to Outdoor News. Clam Outdoors also awards $250 in cash to the organization that the youth designates as having played a significant role in their development in the outdoor pursuits. Per Matt Baloun’s request, the Minnesota Youth Shotgun Association will receive this honorarium.
For more information on Minnesota-based Clam Outdoors: http://clamoutdoors.com/community/about-us/
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