FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, May 12, 1997
CONTACT:
Mike Markarian, (301) 585-2591, MikeM@fund.org
Norm Phelps, (301) 739-7087, Norm@fund.org
NEW YORK -- The Fund for Animals, the nation's largest anti-hunting organization with hundreds of thousands of members nationwide, has just applied for a $142,000 grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to fund "Project Respect: An Educational Program for Young People."
Anyone can apply for Fish and Wildlife Service grants, providing the projects meet criteria listed in the Federal Register. The Fund feels that "Project Respect" would meet the criteria to "provide innovative approaches to introducing people to hunting and fishing including emphasis on families" and "promote natural resources and environmental education of K through 12 students."
Says Norm Phelps, program coordinator for The Fund for Animals, "Teaching students to respect wildlife, rather than to use them as moving targets, is the most innovative approach we've heard yet. The Fish and Wildlife Service, which is supposed to be a public service agency, has funded only one side of the hunting debate. It's time students hear the other side -- the animals' side."
The Service gave two grants totaling $330,000 to the Council for Wildlife Conservation and Education (an arm of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a trade association for firearms and ammunition manufacturers) for pro-hunting videos distributed to schools. The Fund for Animals believes that students should hear both sides of the hunting debate, and if the federal government funds pro-hunting materials it should also fund anti-hunting materials.
The Fund for Animals has produced a half-hour video for students called "What's Wrong With Hunting," featuring Coach Marv Levy of the Buffalo Bills, Alexandra Paul of Baywatch, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen of Beverly Hills 90210, Craig Paquette of the Kansas City Royals, and many wildlife biologists and humane professionals who debunk the hunting myths. The Fund has also produced a booklet for teenagers called "Think Like the Animal: Questions to Ask Before You Kill," and an "Animal Crusaders" newsletter for elementary school teachers. The Fund's "Project Respect" program will include increased distribution of the video, the development of curriculum units for elementary, middle, and high school teachers, and an interactive CD-ROM for schools.
The Fund for Animals' 14-page grant proposal and the "What's Wrong With Hunting" video are available to the media upon request.
