Who would have thought that a rooster pheasnt would create such an impression. I read John Annoni’s book, “From the Hood to the Woods,” while on the train traveling from NYC to CT. If you take Metro North from Grand Central Station, the train stops at 125th Street in Harlem, and then off to points in CT. At the Harlem stop, which has become re-gentrified since I first lived in NYC, reminded me of the importance of Annoni’s work, which he outlines in his book. It was as if I had sat down with him at a diner and over a cup of coffee he explained his awful childhood. He ran away from his worries to the woods outside the apartment complex where his mom lived. It was there that nature helped him endure his lot and where he found a love for hunting and fishing. I won’t tell his whole story but the important part you should know is the work he does with inner city kids. He created a program for kids that uses fishing and hunting to help build responsibility and self esteem. And it gets many kids out in open spaces. His program is a registered non-profit operating out of PA. Go to Camp Compass Academy and check out the work he does. He has been recognized by SCI and was named one of the most influential people of the outdoors in 2009 by OL. If you can’t take a kid hunting–your nephews nieces, sons and daughters don’t count–then send a check or donate something to Camp Compass Academy so Annoni can keep up the good work.