The real success and most exciting part of the day, of course, are the faces of all involved when the kids come back in from fishing. The kids are ecstatic and overwhelmed by their adventure, whether or not they caught a fish. The BASS fisherman who donated his morning, his boat, and his expertise looks enlightened and proud of the fisherperson he just helped create simply by introducing that child to this sport. And the other volunteers, like bees at a hive, race from one unloading boat to another, buzzing with exclamations and praise: "How big was that fish?!? Are you sure these BASS guys aren't teaching you to tell tales?!" "You caught HOW many?" "You went that FAST?" and, most importantly, "Great job! Way to go! You did it!"
By the time everyone settles down for the large luncheon, all donated by local businesses, it is impossible to feel anything but joyous. And that's even before the award ceremony begins. At CAST, everyone wins. Everyone gets a plaque celebrating his or her participation in the day. Afterwards, we even have a drawing for the donated prizes-and there are usually enough of those for almost everyone.
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