VERO BEACH — Few things are more pleasurable than fishing in the Indian River Lagoon on a sunny, summer morning. More than 250 local children found that out Saturday when the Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast invited children between the ages of 5 and 12 to try their hands at angling under the Barber Bridge.
Although the day warmed early, Indian River County children, along with their families, showed up to enjoy a morning of fishing, followed by a barbecue lunch.
The Kiwanis Club has been holding their Take a Kid Fishing Tournament since 1992, with the crowd growing larger each year.
Registration for the event, sponsored by Oculina Bank and the George E. Warren Corporation, began at 8:15 a.m. Doughnuts were served before the kids headed to the fishing pier under the bridge. Kiwanis members were on hand with fishing equipment for those who did not bring their own, along with free bait and free fishing advice.
Junior anglers cast their lines, hoping to snag the big one. There were manatee and dolphin sightings, much to the delight of the kids.
“It is a great event, a great turnout,” said Event Co-Chairman Jason Kellendorf, as he supervised little ones, making sure they used plenty of soap and water before heading to the cook-out. “We have gone through two cases of bait and six chum bags.”
“Did you touch any bait?” Kellendorf asked one youngster who didn’t want to get his hands wet. “I saw you. Come on, scrub those hands.”
Fliers advertising the event were distributed to local elementary and middle schools, and for many attendees, it was a repeat adventure.
Liza Ketchum’s sons, six-year-old Orion and Caden, 9, caught three pinners.
“We did it last year,” said Ketchum. “We love to fish. They caught them on their own, even though they had a little help baiting the hook.”
Joseph Bello, 8, caught a foot-long flounder but threw it back.
“It’s my third time fishing here,” he said.
“The kids had really great time,” said Ginny Benton, a Kiwanis member who works at Oculina Bank. “It is a really wonderful day for kids who might not be able to fish every day.”
After the fishing, families stood in line, in the shade of the bridge, as Kiwanis members grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, and served chips and sodas to the hungry crowd.
Prizes were awarded for the most fish, the biggest fish, the smallest fish, and even the ugliest fish. The biggest prize of the day was for the families who spent a summer morning together in nature.
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to serving children. The local chapter was founded in 1973 and raises funds through many projects, in order to support local organizations that help children. In the past 20 years, the Club has awarded more than $100,000 in college scholarships to graduating Indian River County Students.
