OPERATION ORPHANS: A way to use your passion for 
hunting to help mentor a child on Passport to Texas.
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Passport to Texas from TPW and the SFWR Program

Be it fishing, hunting, bird watching, what we need is children 
to be away from the TV's and outdoors. :08

That's the goal of Operation Orphans. The group--founded 
by Game Warden Gene Ashby in 1960--mentors children 
by taking them hunting. Tom Hewitt, is the organization's 
director.

We bring in children from homes all over the state. All of these 
are disadvantaged children. And all of these children are able to 
spend a day with a mentor, having a day of fellowship. The 
harvesting of the animal is just land-yap and it is something 
special. (00:14)

Volunteers with this unique organization have worked 
with over sixteen thousand children. Hewitt says the 
child, not the hunt, remains top priority.

The main focus of our program is number one, safety. Teaching 
the children the love of the outdoors, introducing them because 
so many of these children are city children. They have never 
been in the outdoors. So our day, again, is mentoring of the 
children, teaching them about the outdoors and having a day of 
fun (00:17)

Operation Orphans have harvested nearly sixteen 
thousand animals. They donate every animal they harvest 
to the home where the child came from. 

It's a win - win situation. (00:01) 

Find out more about Operation Orphans at 
passporttotexas.org. 

Out series receives support from the SFWR program, 
working to increase fishing, hunting, shooting and 
boating opportunities in Texas. We had research and 
writing help from Kate Lipinski... For Texas Parks and 
Wildlife ... I'm Cecilia Nasti. 

Total sound bite time:		 0:40.0
Maximum Script time:		 0:45.0 Suggested show time: 85.0 = 1:25