By Terra Avilla
Despite the rain, the annual fishing derby this past Saturday was still a wonderful event that, as always, brought our little community together and highlighted the dedication of its organizers and sponsors.
The event, coordinated by Wade Workman, is a yearly testament to his passion for providing a free event to local children and the opportunity to fish our beautiful Susan River.
Trust me, as someone who also has planned community events, it’s harder than it looks, but Wade has the perfect ability to bring together all the necessary individuals to make the event a success. And boy was it.
The river was stocked with hundreds of fish, ensuring that the little anglers had plenty of opportunities to catch their prize. The adorable green fishing derby hats worn by the children added a touch of charm to the event.
Despite the fact that my daughter won a toy in the raffle at the end of the derby, her hat is her most prized catch of the day. (And boy does she look so cute in it!)
I also want to say – way to go Walmart! Y’all played a significant role in the event. My favorite thing about the event. They donated and served us all the FOOD!
Their employees volunteered to wake up at 5:00a.m., to prepare breakfast burritos for all the participants, and they were delicious. Walmart’s involvement in the fishing derby is part of their long-term commitment to our community and I thank them all for that!
The event was not only about fishing, but also about bringing the community together.
Families enjoyed quality time outdoors, bonding over a shared love for fishing and the excitement of the competition.
On the river, I looked over and I saw Jared Berotti (a former baseball player) on the bank fishing with his son. It made my heart so incredibly full. I looked around and saw countless parents showing their kiddos how to bait a hook, hold a fish and reel in a rod.
If you were by me near the derby, you would have witnessed me freaking out over bear poop, losing a phone, and then Pearl fell into the river. (Huge thank you to Armando Medina who helped us trek our way out of the embankment!)
Even with that little adventure, (after all, are you really fishing with children if the event doesn’t end with soggy shoes?) it was one of the best times I’ve had with my kiddos in a long time. And I owe a huge thank you to the fishing derby for that.
The weather may have been rainy, but it couldn’t dampen the spirit of the event, which was a shining example of how great this event is for the community and why it is one of the reasons I love where we live.
