C.A.S.T. For Kids Event Hosted On Lake Eufaula

By Capt. Sam Williams

Thursday, Oct. 5 turned out to be a beautiful day on Lake Eufaula as we prepared for 33 special-needs’ children to arrive and enjoy a day of fishing with some great volunteers to assist them. Each child received a special T-shirt, a rod and reel and a tackle box to keep.

Some of these kids caught their first fish ever. One little boy caught 15 catfish. Each child received a plaque with a picture of them with their volunteer. The parks and recreation folks placed the net on the beach, and Auburn University supplied the 20-month-old catfish. There were some really nice fish taken during the morning.

The excitement from these youngsters was heart warming. It was not uncommon to see a tear from the volunteers and crowd when the child reacted to their catch. Rick Thorn and the Eufaula Parks and Recreation team worked hard all year to make this day special for all involved.

This was the 32nd year that C.A.S.T. has been doing these events nationwide. In 2023, they held 95 events across the country, some from boats, some from shore. If you are interested in hosting an event in your community, contact Eastern Director Jeff Barnes at 256.310.4323 or email him at [email protected]. He will come and meet with you and give you all the details. It will be a blessing to you, as well as the children you help to get them interested in fishing. With some degree of help, there is almost no disability that can prevent a person from the joy of a day in God’s great outdoors while catching a fish. It is exhilarating and memorable for all involved, especially the child.

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