Sharing A Passion

A lot of people show their remarkable quality and talent through sharing with others a particular passion - be that a vocation, a hobby, a quest, or perhaps seeking a solution to a problem or issue. Recreational boaters, for example, are benefiting by the recent accomplishments of two men who each have a passion for the outdoors and who uniquely crafted their own answer to a specific question.

West Milton, Ohio resident Tom Mayor once was asked by his young son what makes a river a (designated) scenic river. Dad did not have a capable answer. As a result, Mayor embarked upon a lengthy effort and enlisted the support of the Ohio Division of Watercraft and others as he learned about Ohio’s scenic rivers. His eventual reply to his son’s question results from a three-year effort that led to filming and production of a 95-minute documentary titled “Call of the Scenic River: An Ohio Journey”.

The film was first released publicly in January through special premier screenings to small audiences in several communities in southwest Ohio. Mayor, owner of The Message Shop in West Milton, is working in partnership with Rivers Unlimited to handle primary distribution and DVD sales of his film. He has released the public performance rights so that local groups may host paid public film screenings and retain the proceeds of DVD sales in their effort to raise awareness about water quality.

The second man is Camby, Indiana resident and retired U.S. Marine Corps Major Jeff Thompson who suffers from a degenerative spinal disc disease. The former fighter pilot and test pilot chose not to give up his passion for sport fishing and to fight through his disabling condition so that he and possibly others could skipper their own fishing boat unaided by an assisting person and stay active on the water.

Working on an idea he conceived with a business partner and with assistance from Ranger Boats, the Fish N’ Rail Removable Security System became a reality two years ago. Fish N’ Rail consists of a removable tubular stainless steel handicap-accessible rail system that can be installed on certain fishing boats. “The idea of doing something for our wounded warriors returning from military service and others who are faced with mobility challenges looking again to enjoy recreational boating and fishing, is the motivation behind this innovative design,” Thompson said to me during an interview in 2010 at the Indianapolis Boat Show.

Thompson’s most recent update is that rights to the sales, marketing and manufacture of the Fish N’ Rail system have been sold to EPCO Corporation of Ft. Wayne (IN), which has been in the stainless steel manufacturing business for more than 50 years and a vendor for many boat manufacturers, including Ranger Boats

“Now, with clearance from my surgeon, I hope to enter the BASS PVA Tournament Trail to demonstrate the usefulness of  the Fish’n Rail system and promote Operation Troop Salute throughout the series while fishing from my Ranger 521, in addition to motivational meetings on “hope for spinal cord injuries”, said Thompson.

His 2012 schedule extends from Georgia, Florida, to Kentucky and Illinois, northeast to the Potomac River in Washington DC, up to New Hampshire and finally back to Oklahoma.  Additionally, he plans to be at Anglers Choice Open House, fish in the Military National Team Tournament in Alabama, and attend the Bassmaster Classic and FLW Championship.