Auburn, Central New York and all of the state, along with the entire outdoor community lost a great conservationist and friend when Tim Noga passed away last Tuesday. Tim was a moving force in the outdoor field who stood up and fought for what he believed in. Tim truly loved the outdoors and really went out of his way to make sure that future generations were exposed to the outdoor heritage.

Statistics show that if children are not exposed to outdoor sports before they are in their early teens, it's a good chance that they will never partake in them. Tim was instrumental in continuing the long-running Falcons Kid's Fishing tournament, teaching youngsters about waterfowl and other game at Bass Pro Shops and lobbying government officials to protect the rights of sportsmen and women all across this great state.

When I wrote the outdoor column for The Citizen for 12 years, Tim was constantly feeding me new outdoor information that area sportsmen wanted to hear. They will be big shoes to fill, but the whole outdoor community is wondering who will step up and take his place?

Tim you will be sorely missed by the employees and customers at Bass Pro Shops, along with the sportsmen and women all across the state.

George Fiorille

Auburn

Fiorille is Bass Pro Shops promotional manager.