By Mike Roche

Some of the most enjoyable years of this writer’s life were spent serving as club advisor for the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, a unique school club at Mahar Regional School which has been in existence since the regional school opened in 1957.

When the school began operation, then-Principal Henry Hastings instituted a club program and one school period every month would be devoted to meetings. He required that every teacher serve as a club advisor, and clubs included the Future Homemakers Club, the Car Club, the Key Club, the Future Nurses Club, and many others, including the Mahar Fish’N Game Club.

My father, John E. Roche Jr., was a teacher at the new school and he and fellow teacher George “Gig” Darey decided to form a club to involve students with their shared passion of hunting and fishing. That was the start of the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, and it and the Mahar Key Club are still going strong over a half decade later, although the club period is long gone.

A lot has changed. In 1969, my senior year at Mahar, a group of girls decided that the club, which was open only to high school boys, should admit girls. At that point in my life, my views were a bit chauvinistic, and when my father put it to a vote, my vote was “no.”

Fortunately, my fellow members were smarter than me and girls were allowed to join. Since that time, young women have been leaders and brought great energy to the club, which was joined by a Middle School Fish’N Game Club in 1990s.

When the club started, there was a yearly schedule of events that started with a trap shoot in September, an ice fishing derby in January, a Father and Son Banquet (that became a Family Banquet and then a Game Supper) in March and a fishing derby in the spring.

I took over as advisor when my father retired, and in 1999, a group of club members came to me with their interest in taking a trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area in Ely, Minnesota. It took a couple years to work out logistics, but the trip was a huge success and was followed by six more Minnesota trips over the next several years.

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That same spark of student interest led to investigation of the possibility of a trip to Alaska. The result was two Alaska 10-day trips and the beauty of the “Last Frontier” made a great impression on the students who participated. When Evelyn Cunha joined the faculty, someone mentioned to me that she was a successful bear hunter. That led to conversations and she eventually became the middle school club advisor and went on the second Alaska trip.

Times change and nothing had a greater impact on school activities across the board than Covid. Evelyn, however, who took over the club when I retired, has done a remarkable job of adjusting to the myriad of changes and challenges and the club, although smaller, is still very active.

Membership of both high school and middle school clubs includes a group of very dedicated, competent, ambitious and mature students who absolutely defy any suggestion that “kids today” are not motivated, and eager to work hard to accomplish goals that are consistent with their love of outdoor activities, including hunting and fishing. This year, club members planned and organized another Alaska trip which they just completed.

I offer some evidence of the qualities these young people possess in the following writing done by club President Audrey Elwood. She took the time to write about the recent Alaska adventure and here it is for you to enjoy.

“On June 15, the Mahar Fish N’ Game Club embarked on their journey to the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. Nineteen high school members and 11 chaperones, including advisors Evelyn Cunha and William Devine, attended this trip. Over the course of eight days, we were able to fish in rivers, the ocean, and on charters. We hiked to the Exit Glacier and even got to see wildlife at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Girdwood and in their natural environment as well!

The state was beyond beautiful, and it was so much fun to get to learn more about a different environment. As soon as we stepped out of the airport it was a completely different setting than any place in Massachusetts. Club member Trevor Odenbaugh described it as “a landscape like [he’s] never seen before.” Even just driving down the roads in our RVs was so much different than in New England. Fishing was so much different there and it was quite the learning experience when trying to snag a fish.

While some of us didn’t find much luck at all, others lucked out and caught some nice-sized salmon. We brought home roughly 500 pounds of fish, including halibut, cod, salmon and rockfish. While most of us were catching fish on charters, some of us took a wildlife tour in Homer Bay, where they got to see orcas, seals, and other animals that aren’t present in our waters. Club Vice President Mackenzie Matthews called the trip “a once in a lifetime experience.”

This trip truly was an amazing experience, and it would not have been possible without our club advisors, Evelyn Cunha and William Devine. Although so many people put in so much work to make this trip possible, our thoughts and ideas would not have become a reality without their hard work. I speak on behalf of the club when I say there isn’t enough gratitude in any of our hearts for the amount of time and effort that they put into this club for us. Without them both, not only would this trip and educational experience not have been able to take place, but our club wouldn’t be such a welcoming place as well.”

Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, counselor and director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, former Connecticut Valley District representative on the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.