>> HOW Y'ALL DOING TODAY?
>> FINE, HOW Y'ALL DOING?
>> PRETTY GOOD.
WE'RE DOING A WATER SAFETY CHECK.
IF I COULD SEE ONE LIFE JACKET FOR EACH PERSON ON BOARD PLEASE.
DO YOU HAVE YOUR FIRE EXTINGUISHER?
>> HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
>> WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A SEAT FOR ME.
LET ME CHECK THIS.
WILL YOU HAVE A SEAT FOR ME?
I DON'T WANT YOU FALLING.
>> I WON'T FALL.
>> OK. OK. THANK YOU.
>> THE FOURTH OF JULY IN EAST TEXAS MEANS FIREWORKS AT NIGHT,
LOTS OF BOATS ON THE WATER ALL DAY, AND GAME WARDENS
ON PATROL.
>> STATE GAME WARDEN, HOW Y'ALL DOING TODAY?
GUYS, WHERE'S Y'ALLS BACK LIGHT?
>> MOST OF THESE PEOPLE OUT HERE ARE JUST REALLY FINE FOLKS,
AND ARE OUT HERE TO HAVE A GOOD TIME.
SOME OF THEM NEED TO BE EDUCATED A LITTLE BIT.
>> JUST DOING A WATER SAFETY CHECK LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
IF I CAN SEE ONE LIFE JACKET FOR EACH PERSON ON BOARD PLEASE.
>> THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS WE DO IS TRY TO TEACH PEOPLE
WHAT THEY NEED ON THEIR BOATS AND HOW TO OPERATE THEIR BOATS,
AND MOST PEOPLE ARE REAL RECEPTIVE OF THAT,
AND GLAD TO SEE YOU OUT HERE.
>> THE FIRST CHANCE YOU GET, GO AHEAD AND HEAD BACK.
I APPRECIATE IT.
Y'ALL BE CAREFUL.
>> THE GAME WARDEN'S PRESENCE ON THE WATER HELPS ENSURE A
SAFER HOLIDAY FOR EVERYONE.
BUT ENFORCING THE LAW ISN'T THE ONLY THING THESE WARDENS DO.
(boat motor revs)
>> RIGHT NOW FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW,
WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF TURKEY SEASON.
>> TODAY, TEXAS GAME WARDEN CYNTHIA GUAJARDO IS SPEAKING TO
THE JACKSONVILLE LION'S CLUB.
>> BUT I'VE SEEN EM, THEY HAVE PERFECT MARKINGS ON THE SIDE
LIKE A SAND BASS, AND YOU OPEN THAT MOUTH AND IT'S A STRIPER.
>> BUT TALKING TURKEY AND FISH TO THE LIONS ISN'T THE MAIN
REASON SHE'S HERE.
>> WHAT I'M REALLY HERE TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT IS MONEY.
>> CYNTHIA IS TRYING TO TAKE SOME OF THE KIDS IN HER
COUNTY TO CAMP.
>> THEY GET TAUGHT ORIENTEERING, SURVIVAL SKILLS, HUNTER ETHICS.
>> AND SHE'S COUNTING ON THE COMMUNITY TO HELP
SHOULDER THE LOAD.
>> THE TOTAL OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO RAISE IS $125 PER KID.
>> LIKE ALL TEXAS GAME WARDENS, CYNTHIA HAS A PRETTY HIGH
PROFILE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THAT CAN HELP MAKE IT EASIER TO GET SUPPORT FOR HER PROJECTS,
LIKE TAKING KIDS TO CAMP.
>> SOME OF THE THINGS SHE HAS ASKED FOR IN THE PAST
HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY GOOD PROJECTS.
THEY INVOLVE LOCAL PEOPLE, LOCAL KIDS, SO WE HAD NO PROBLEMS
IN GETTING HER SOME MONEY TO BE USED FOR LOCAL KIDS TO GO
TO THIS CAMP.
>> SO KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU'RE ON THE WATER.
>> AS TIMES CHANGE, SO HAS THE JOB OF THE TEXAS GAME WARDEN.
TODAY, WARDENS LIKE CYNTHIA GUAJARDO AND DAVE RAYBIN
ARE PART ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND PART EDUCATOR.
>> IT'S LIKE THIS SQUARE THING.
YOU CAN BUY IT AT WALMART FOR SIX BUCKS.
>> YOU EVER TRY TO THROW A LIFE JACKET?
>> YEAH, THEY DON'T FLY VERY FAR.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT COMPLIANCE AND ABOUT
TICKET WRITING.
THAT'S JUST A SMALL, SMALL PERCENTAGE OF IT.
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING THAT'S MISSING FROM THE BOAT.
PROBABLY BY FAR, EDUCATION IS THE MOST REWARDING
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE IMMEDIATELY THAT YOU'RE
DOING SOMETHING GOOD FOR SOMEONE.
DON'T PULL YOUR STUFF OUT.
JUST LINE EVERYTHING UP ON THE GROUND AND THAT WAY
EVERYBODY CAN START GRABBING STUFF.
>> THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR THAT CYNTHIA HAS BROUGHT KIDS FROM
THE CHEROKEE COUNTY AREA TO THIS CENTRAL TEXAS CAMP.
IT'S A GREAT PLACE FOR KIDS TO TRY THEIR HANDS AT LOTS OF
DIFFERENT OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.
MOST FOR THE FIRST TIME.
>> SEE THERE YOU GO, YOU'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.
I ENJOY IT.
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE SEEING A KID DO SOMETHING THEY'VE NEVER
DONE BEFORE AND SEEING THE LOOK ON THEIR FACE.
IT'S PRICELESS, IT'S WORTH ALL THE MONTHS OF PREPARATION.
>> WHY DO WE HAVE TO WEAR LIFE JACKETS IN THE SHALLOW WATER?
>> BECAUSE IN SOME PLACES IT'S DEEP.
>> WELL THE MAIN THING IS THAT AS A GAME WARDEN THAT YOU GET
INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND HER NICHE HAPPENS TO BE WITH CHILDREN.
>> I'M GONNA PASS OUT EAR PLUGS.
IF YOU CAN HEAR PRETTY GOOD WITH EM IN, YOU KNOW THEY'RE
NOT IN RIGHT.
>> SHE IS A HUNTER AND A FISHERMAN, THAT'S HER
HOBBIES ANYWAY.
>> THAT'S WHERE YOUR CHIN HITS, YOU BRING IT DOWN.
>> I MEAN IT'S JUST A NATURAL THING FOR HER TO GET
INVOLVED WITH KIDS AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES LIKE THE HUNTING
AND THE FISHING AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
>> THERE, THAT'S PERFECT.
NOT ONLY IS THAT PART OF HER LIFE ANYWAY, SHE'S GOOD AT IT
AND SHE LIKES DOING IT.
>> NOW I'M GONNA HOLLER PULL, ARE YOU READY?
DON'T SHOOT YET.
PULL!
SHOOT.
(gun shot)
>> OH MY GOD HE HIT IT AGAIN.
HE'S A BETTER SHOT THAN I AM.
HEY BRANDON, YOU'RE A BETTER SHOT THAN I AM BOY.
GOOD JOB.
OK, WHO'S UP NEXT?
>> HEY GUYS, HOW Y'ALL DOING TODAY?
WHAT ARE WE DOING?
>> GOING ACROSS THE LAKE, OUR WIVES LEFT US.
>> WHAT DO YOU GOT THE GUNS FOR GENTLEMEN?
>> BB GUNS.
>> WE WERE SHOOTING TURTLES ACROSS THE LAKE BACK IN
THAT CREEK.
>> MAN THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A REAL GOOD IDEA UP HERE GUYS.
WITH ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE LAKE.
>> CYNTHIA'S FIRST ASSIGNMENT OUT OF THE GAME WARDEN ACADEMY
WAS TO CHEROKEE COUNTY IN EAST TEXAS.
IT'S BEEN A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR HER AND FOR THE PUBLIC,
PARTLY BECAUSE SHE WAS NEW, AND PARTLY BECAUSE
SHE'S FEMALE.
>> I THINK I'VE HEARD THE STATEMENT ONCE OR TWICE
'I DIDN'T KNOW THEY MADE EM LIKE YOU.'
THEY WEREN'T QUITE SURE THAT THEY MADE FEMALE GAME WARDENS.
NO, NO.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE LIFE JACKETS ON ANY BOAT AT ALL.
I'M A GAME WARDEN JUST LIKE ANYONE ELSE IS.
I DON'T HAVE THE SAME PHYSICAL PRESENCE THAT A MAN DOES,
THAT A MALE GAME WARDEN DOES WALKING IN ON SOMETHING.
WE BOTH DO THE SAME JOB, WE BOTH GET IT DONE.
BUT WE BOTH DO IT DIFFERENT WAYS.
ARE Y'ALL FISHING?
>> YEA.
>> WELL, WE WERE... KINDA...
>> PADDLED ALL THE WAY FROM OVER THERE HUNTING TURTLES.
>> YOU'RE FISHING OR NOT FISHING?
>> EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WE THROW IT IN OR WHATEVER.
>> YOU JUST GOT TACKLE IN HERE?
>> YEAH.
>> MIND IF I LOOK?
OK, GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP FOR ME.
I KNOW YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THERE YOU PROBABLY
DON'T WANT ME LOOKING AT, RIGHT?
THAT'S WHAT I FIGURED.
>> CYNTHIA'S COOL.
SHE DOES A GOOD JOB.
I REALLY DON'T THINK OF IT THAT WAY.
SHE'S JUST A GAME WARDEN.
WHETHER SHE'S MALE OR FEMALE, IS REALLY IRRELEVANT...
IN MY OPINION.
>> WE'RE GOING TO TAKE YOU TO CHEROKEE COUNTY JAIL
FOR POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.
YOU KNOW COMING IN A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T NECESSARILY
RESPECT ME.
BECAUSE I WAS A FEMALE, AND I WAS YOUNG AND DIDN'T KNOW.
WHEN YOU COME OUT OF SCHOOL YOU DON'T KNOW ALL THERE IS TO KNOW.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT OVER TIME AS I BECAME A BETTER OFFICER
THAT I GAINED MORE RESPECT.
NOW THESE GUYS, I WANT Y'ALL TO UNDERSTAND,
THESE GUYS HAVE COME HERE ON THEIR OWN TIME,
THEY'VE PAID FOR THEIR OWN GAS AND THEY'RE USING
THEIR OWN BOATS.
THEY'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO TAKE Y'ALL OUT FISHING.
>> CYNTHIA'S ENTHUSIASM FOR HER WORK IS CONTAGIOUS.
WHEN SHE APPROACHED THE JACKSONVILLE BASS CLUB ABOUT
HELPING OUT WITH A KID'S FISHING DAY, THE RESPONSE
WAS OVERWHELMING.
>> OTHER THAN THAT, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> YOU GONNA SEND THEM TO THE BATHROOM?
>> YES, WE'RE GONNA SEND THEM TO THE BATHROOM BEFORE WE GO.
>> HAD A BALL.
WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF SHE HADN'T PUT THIS TOGETHER.
FOR US TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS ON OUR OWN,
WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.
BUT WITH A LITTLE PUSH, AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE
TALKING TO A GAME WARDEN.
ITS HARD TO TURN A GAME WARDEN DOWN, IF YOU SPEND ALL YOUR
LEISURE HOURS OUT ON THE LAKE.
AND SHE KNEW THAT, SO IT WORKED OUT REAL WELL.
>> EXCELLENT.
OK, GREAT.
>> IF YOU FEEL SOMETHING PULL ON IT NOW, YOU NEED TO, REEL IT.
>> THE GOAL OF A PROJECT LIKE THIS ISN'T JUST TO GET MORE
KIDS INTO THE OUTDOORS.
>> OH SHAYLA!
>> BRINGING GAME WARDENS, ADULTS AND KIDS TOGETHER,
STRENGTHENS THE TIES BETWEEN THEM ALL.
>> LOOKY HERE.
THAT'S A GOOD UN THERE.
>> WHOO!
>> THAT'S THE CHAMPION.
>> I THINK THE BASS CLUB MEMBERS WERE GRINNING AND LAUGHING,
THEY HAD JUST AS BIG A TIME AS THE KIDS DID.
AND THESE ARE ALL GROWN FOLKS.
>> I WISH HE'D A GOT THAT CATFISH IN.
>> AND THEN HE CAUGHT A BIG OLE CATFISH,
BUT IT STRAIGHTENED THAT BREAM HOOK STRAIGHT OUT.
>> THAT'S WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT.
GIVING SOMETHING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND HELPING THE
COMMUNITY GROW A LITTLE BIT.
>> LOOK UP HERE AND SMILE, SAY CHEESE.
>> CHEESE.
>> FOR ALL TEXAS GAME WARDENS, PROTECTING THE WILDLIFE
RESOURCES, INSURING THAT BOATERS ARE SAFE,
AND TEACHING KIDS TO FISH ARE ALL IN A DAY'S WORK.
BUT IT'S MORE THAN THAT.
FOR GAME WARDENS LIKE CYNTHIA GUAJARDO, THE TRUE CALLING IS
BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
>> BEING A GAME WARDEN IS A LARGE PART OF WHO I AM.
WHERE ELSE CAN YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM THAT WE HAVE,
IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHICH I LOVE, TO DEAL
WITH THE OUTDOORS, AND HAVE THE FREEDOM TO EDUCATE KIDS.
I MEAN IT'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT JOBS ROLLED INTO ONE.
YOU CAN'T BEAT IT.
STATE GAME WARDEN, HOW Y'ALL DOING?
JUST WANT TO SEE IF Y'ALL COULD PUT YOUR LIGHTS ON.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
FIREWORKS, THAT'S AN ADDED BONUS.
GOOD FIREWORKS.
(fireworks whistle and pop)