This is from dana wharfs facebook page. Hopefully they can recover some of their gear or at least find the people who stole it. Fucking low lifes stealing from children... I hope they get caught.
"Its with regret that we have to post this : Friends of Rollo , Kids Fishing charities that take 100,000 of kids fishing for free suffered a burglary over the weekend , why are people so cruel , why would anyone steal from a Kids Charity?
Friends of Rollo, Kid’s Fishing Organization Burglarized
San Diego, CA April 15, 2013 – Sometime during Saturday night, Friends of Rollo, the popular youth program that has introduced over 85,000 children to the Marine Environment and fishing had their San Diego storage unit broken into and ransacked. The unit contained donated merchandise including new and used rods, reels and other outdoor gear being staged for upcoming fundraising activities.
Friends of Rollo President Harold Davis said, “ The theft of this product is a severe blow to our fundraising efforts. Offering raffle prizes and selling used tackle are two of our primary sources of revenue. Soliciting donated product is a year around project that is more difficult than ever but necessary in order for us to be able to pay for all of the trips we sponsor each year. The thieves didn’t just steal merchandise, they stole opportunities from the kids that would have benefited from our program.”
Ironically, the self storage facility has only been used by the non-‐profit group for the past two months. It was selected as it is gated with limited hours of operation. Unfortunately, the security cameras failed to capture the burglary. The Friends of Rollo unit was the only one vandalized leading one to conclude that the thieves knew what they were after. The unit’s roll up door was destroyed during the break-‐ in. A police report was filed and anyone with information is asked to contact the San Diego Police Department or Friends of Rollo.
The items that were stolen were primarily brand new Seeker, Cal Star and Phenix fishing rods along with used higher end fishing reels and have an estimated value of $10,000. This could have generated much more than its value in fundraising potential. “Replacing this is not going to be easy as so many fishing tackle companies and individuals have already donated. We are hopeful that the public will consider donating some of their used tackle and make cash donations to get us back on track”, Davis added. Despite the loss, Friends of Rollo will still have their display at Day at the Docks at the sportfishing landings in San Diego this coming Sunday and hope to raise money and gather product and cash donations. Although they lost most of the tackle they would be selling, they will still have their popular Spin to Win Wheel and begin selling raffle tickets for their 2014 annual drawing.
Friends of Rollo is a 501c3 non-‐profit organization that was founded in 1999 and named in memory of Capt. James "Rollo" Heyn, beloved sportfishing captain, and continues to pass on his love of the ocean to the youth of today. The sole purpose of the organization is to introduce kids of all ages and from all walks of life to marine life and the ocean environment though a hands on fishing program. Many of these kids would never experience getting on a boat and seeing the wonders of the ocean first hand if not for Friends of Rollo. This program broadens children’s horizons and creates an understanding of life beyond the city streets. The organization schedules and pays all expenses of the trips including the chartered boat, crew, fishing tackle, lunch.
Friends of Rollo, We Take Kids Fishing donation information can be found online at
www.RolloKids.com. Donations can also be made via PayPal using their email address
FriendsofRollo@yahoo.com.
Contact info:
John Rowe, Director Ph 858-‐350-‐5870 Email
FriendsofRollo@yahoo.com"