C.A.S.T. for Kids -- Leesylvania State Park on the Potomac River September 8, 2007

"To Put a Smile on His Face…To Try New Experiences"
The Purpose of C.A.S.T. for Kids

By Butch Sickler
C.A.S.T. for Kids Virginia Event Coordinator

As all C.A.S.T. for Kids Coordinators or Hosts know (or soon find out), there is much that has to come together at one given place and time to produce a safe, fun, and successful C.A.S.T. for Kids event. Planning and preparation for each event can be a year-long process and includes many vital components, not the least of which are the involvement of local bass fishing clubs, volunteer organizations, local businesses, corporate monetary and goods & services sponsors, local fire houses, food providers, local, State, and Federal agencies, parks and marinas where the events are held, and perhaps the most important pieces of all - the children's organizations from which the event participants are invited to "Catch a Special Thrill."
   Thankfully, on Saturday, September 8, 2007, at Leesylvania State Park near Woodbridge, Virginia, all of the planets were perfectly aligned. It was on this day that we enjoyed our incredible Second Annual C.A.S.T. for Kids event in the State of Virginia - an event in which 40 children with special needs from many Northern Virginia communities were treated to all of the fun, excitement, fishing and thrills that they and their parents could handle.
   The day started beautifully as the sun began to rise and reflect off of the Potomac River, its bright rays filtering through the many trees that surrounded the site of the event. Leesylvania State Park, itself, could not have been a more beautiful and perfect location. The picnic area and pavilion were right off of the water and a short walk to the dock and the boat staging and loading areas; the parking was convenient and plentiful for all participating parents, Boat Captains, volunteers, and sponsors; and the Park Staff, under the leadership of Park Manager, Ken Benson, could not have been more friendly, helpful, and accommodating. Our heartfelt thanks go out to Ken, Adam, Ron and the many others at the Park for their valuable assistance with our event.
   When the Boat Captains and event volunteers began arriving at the Park around 7:00 a.m., they were directed to the proper boat-staging and parking areas by Boy Scouts from Troop 1577 in Herndon. The Scouts, along with adults under the leadership of Dan Null, our Parking and Traffic Control Coordinator, did a splendid job of providing our parking and traffic control services for the day. Once parked, all Boat Captains and volunteers were given C.A.S.T. for Kids T-shirts and treated to coffee donated by Starbucks, Woodbridge, and donuts, muffins, and bagels, all courtesy of Dunkin' Donuts of Woodbridge.
   After the volunteers settled in, their first item of business was to decorate the event site and their mission was to have it completed before 8:00 when the children and parents were due to arrive. Thanks to Cherry Andrews, our Decorations Volunteer Coordinator and a host of volunteers, in just a matter of minutes the picnic pavilion was transformed into a beautiful wonderland of bright colored fishes and other nautical creatures. Our thanks to Party City of Woodbridge for providing the fun decorations.
   Right on schedule, the parents and child participants began arriving at the event. Most of the children for this year's event were invited through Special Needs Recreation Fairs sponsored by the Parents of Autistic Children of Northern Virginia and by the ARC of Northern Virginia. We also were very pleased to have had many participating children from the Exceptional Families Member Program on Ft. Belvoir, which is managed by Rene' Fizar and administered by Ewa Fabijanczyk. A few happy children and families on the event Stand-by list were also given an opportunity to participate when some of the registered parents had to cancel their own children's attendance.
   As soon as the arriving parents parked their vehicles at the event, they were met instantly by Nina Presto, our Greeting and Buddy Volunteer Coordinator, and the 20+ volunteers representing the PAC-10 Schools Alumni Associations. The PAC-10 volunteers were assigned as day-long buddies to children as requested and they helped the participating families to the registration area to check in for the event. Nina and the PAC-10 volunteers did a wonderful job of assisting with anything that needed to be done during the entire course of the event.
   At the registration tables, Registration Coordinators Joanne Rinaldi, Melissa Brown, and Aimee Baldwin quickly checked in the participating children and families, gave the children their C.A.S.T. for Kids T-shirts and ball caps, and showed them to the coffee, orange juice and goodies. Down in the bass-boat staging area, the Boat Captain meeting was getting underway with Bass Boat Coordinator Bruce Lee giving the fishermen and boat-rig valets last minute instructions before issuing the children's fishing rods and tackle boxes provided by C.A.S.T. for Kids, and tackle donated by Bass Pro Shops. It was an incredibly impressive sight to see the 37 bass boats staged in two lines, stem-to-stern, in the boat-loading area. Perhaps more impressive, however, were the numbers of bass fishermen-including our Pontoon Boat Captain-and boat rig valets who generously donated their time, boats, and expertise to help some very special children "Catch a Special Thrill."
   In this regard, we are extremely grateful for the contributions of the Potomac Bass Masters of Virginia, under President Arnold Aspelin; VA Bass Region 1, under President Bill Haire; Concerned Bass Anglers of Virginia, under President Bruce Lee; New Horizon Bass Anglers, under President, Ron Anzelone; our Pontoon Boat Captain, Jerry Allman, and all of the many members of these organizations and the independent bass fishermen who came out to help our children enjoy a safe, fun-and I might add-very successful, morning of fishing.
   At around 8:45, with all participating children checked in and all boats staged, everyone was called to the picnic area for the Opening Ceremonies. Yours Truly delivered Opening Remarks and introduced several people to the crowd including Art Pasley, Eastern Regional Director of C.A.S.T. for Kids; Kay Ellis, BLM National Accessibility Coordinator; Ken Benson, Leesylvania State Park Manager; the aforementioned bass fishing organization Presidents, and each of the Event Volunteer Coordinators and Photographers.
   Additionally, I welcomed the volunteer firefighters and EMTs from Occoquan, Woodbridge, and Lorton (O.W.L.) Fire Station 12 in Woodbridge, who came out to provide emergency medical services and equipment coverage for the event. We were grateful to have had President Debbie Haight and Assistant Chief Jim McAllister in attendance as well as the many volunteers who arrived in the large yellow pumper truck and ambulance, and who were manning three boats that "patrolled" the water during the event. The large fire boat even provided a wonderful water show for all event attendees by spraying three large arcs of water into the air from its "guns."
   At the conclusion of the Opening Remarks and Introductions, Assistant Chief McAllister was asked to deliver a brief presentation on boating water safety, which he provided to all of the many excited parents and children sitting in the crowd. Following the Chief's presentation, we continued what will no doubt become a Virginia Event tradition when I asked all in attendance to count "1," "2," "3," and yell "Catch a Special Thrill!" before proceeding to the boats.
   With the formalities and the cheer complete, the participating children, their parents, the Boat Captains, and most of the Volunteers walked the short distance to the boat staging area to prepare for the boat-loading process. With the families separated in two separate boat-loading groups, Pam Mozina of the BLM-our Life Vest Volunteer Coordinator-and BLM and other volunteers did a great job of assisting the parents and children in putting on their life jackets that were provided by the BLM. Smokey the Bear, also courtesy of the BLM, being the photo-hog that he was, managed to insert himself in as many pictures as possible, all to the joy and smiles of the children.
   Under the watchful guidance of Ray Strong and Robert Deal, our Bass Boat Loading and Unloading Coordinators, our event volunteers helped to safely load children and parents onto two boats simultaneously. This sped up the process considerably and enabled the children, parents, and Boat Captains to spend less time on the pavement and more time on the water fishing. The fast turn-around on the boat loading and launching was also made possible by the several Boat Rig Valets who generously donated their time and expertise and used the C.A.S.T. for Kids Key Board to keep things moving smoothly.
   Volunteer Coordinators Joanne and Melissa kept tabs on who boarded each boat while Craig Beyers and Nate Shaw, our Event Photographers, tried to capture the entire affair on film. As each boat pulled away from the loading area and made its way to the ramp, it did so amid the cheers of volunteers who wished them well in their fishing adventures. Once on the boat ramp, our Ramp Coordinator, Bob Wiesheier, orchestrated the boat launching and recovery operations, while our Pontoon Boat Coordinator, Bud Blankenship, oversaw the Pontoon Boat operations and the safe loading and unloading of our three participants who used wheelchairs.
   Behind the scenes, while everything was happening in the boat-loading areas, our awards preparation area was also a beehive of activity. Kathy Blankenship and Emily House, our Awards Coordinators, along with the 20+ volunteers representing Emily's group, "Just Because," all joined in with filling the FunPack goody bags-donated by Varsity Graphics in Woodbridge-with toys, crafts, and educational materials generously provided by Trains, Etc. in Lorton, Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts in Woodbridge, and Leesylvania State Park. These hard workers were later called into action, along with the assistance of Volunteer Coordinator Aimee Baldwin, to ready the Participation Certificates and, eventually, with the help of Coordinator Nina Presto and her PAC-10 volunteers, to prepare the photo plaques that were handed out during the Awards Ceremony. Emily and the large number of "Just Because" volunteers did a great job of assisting whenever their help was called upon during the event.
   With all of the boats safely out on the water and the awards being prepared, the On-shore Activities Program soon got underway for the benefit of participant family members and volunteers. Thanks to the great work of Bill Cullen, our On-Shore Activities Coordinator, the entire On-Shore program went off without a hitch. We were extremely grateful to have had the U.S. Army 249th Engineers Battalion from Ft. Belvoir again provide a Humvee and soldiers, Lt. Perez, and SSGT Jeremiah, for the event. Thanks to First Sergeant Fraser for helping to set that up. Also for the second year, we were fortunate to have Aleta Dust from the Raptor Conservancy of Virginia (www.raptorsva.org), who provided very educational presentations on birds of prey such as owls, falcons, and hawks, which the Conservancy is rehabilitating. For those family members and volunteers that wanted to try their hand at on-shore fishing, extra rods, reels, and tackle was provided and was set up and ready to go thanks to the help of Coordinator, Robert Deal, and volunteer Jason Blankenship.
   Attending their first C.A.S.T. for Kids event, Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse in Woodbridge provided multiple Children's Workshops in which Lowe's employees, Michelle and Bernie, with the assistance of parents and other volunteers, helped the children construct their own little wooden castles. The workshops were so popular that Michelle had to run back to the store to get more castle kits. We are very grateful for the generous contributions of the Lowes Woodbridge store, which also included the donation of several gift cards. While Michelle and Bernie were busy keeping tiny thumbs and fingers out of the way of pounding hammers, Libby Coomer, Bill Cullen's fiancé, was at the Arts & Crafts table keeping other little fingers busy stringing together beaded necklaces and bracelets. Our scheduled Arts & Crafts volunteer, Samantha, was unable to attend the event due to illness, so Libby stepped in along with other volunteers to help the boys and girls create beautiful, one-of-a-kind jewelry, including some for the children on the boats.
   At approximately 11:30 a.m., the pontoon boat and bass boats began returning to shore carrying not only happy children and parents but also some decent-sized fish in their live wells. The pontoon boat passengers were the first to be safely unloaded at the docks, after which photos were taken of the children and their prized catches. Then, one-by-one, the bass boats approached the unloading stairs to deliver their precious cargo. To have witnessed the looks of joy and accomplishment on the faces of the child participants and to have seen the smiles on the faces of the parents, Boat Captains, and volunteers, was to realize exactly what C.A.S.T. for Kids events are all about. Whether or not the children had caught any fish, the crowd erupted into applause to congratulate each entire crew for their successful voyage and return. After all children were safely unloaded and photographed, all life jackets removed, and all boat rigs parked, it was time to feed a bunch of hungry folks.
   Jim Knodel, our Lunch Meal Coordinator, masterfully orchestrated the entire lunchtime meal, but he did so with the incredible support and equipment provided by the Mason Neck Lion's Club members, under President Steve Mahan and past President, Dave Collyer, and the Woodbridge Lion's Club members, under President Dick Polly. Each of these individuals, along with many volunteers, helped to produce a flawless and delicious lunchtime meal for over 340 people (one of the lunch volunteers actually counted them!) that included 4 entrees, breadsticks, and salad donated by The Olive Garden Restaurant, Woodbridge; bread pudding, courtesy of the Polo Grill, Lorton, and chocolate chip cookies and brownies, donated by Boston Market, Woodbridge. After all event attendees had had an opportunity to satisfy their big appetites, the Awards Ceremony got underway.
   Art Pasley, Eastern Regional Director of C.A.S.T. for Kids, kicked things off, giving the crowd a brief history of the Foundation and its accomplishments, thanking everyone for coming to the event, and, as usual, sneaking in a few one-liners in the process. Following Art's nice words, we began the Awards Ceremony where each child and corresponding Boat Captain was called to the front of the pavilion. Boat Captains provided their little fishermen and women with a framed "Certificate of Participation," an award plaque containing a photo of them with their Boat Captain and any fish, and a FunPack full of goodies and busting at the seams.
   After the last child was provided with their awards, a raffle was held for all families, volunteers, and Boat Captains to thank them for their participation in the event. For the Boat Captains, fishing tackle was donated by Boater's World, Woodbridge, and also by Gary Yamamoto's Customs Baits in Page, Arizona. For the parents and volunteers, "Thank you" gift cards and certificates donated by many local and national businesses and restaurants went to the lucky winners.
   Following the raffle drawings, I delivered Closing Remarks to the crowd and once again thanked everyone for coming to the event and for making such a wonderful difference in the lives of Northern Virginia's children with special needs. Additionally, I thanked our financial sponsors, The Centech Group and the area Wal-Mart Stores, for their generous monetary contributions that made the event possible. It was also at this moment that I sadly informed everyone at the event that this would be my last C.A.S.T. for Kids event in Virginia as I would be retiring from my job with the federal government in January 2008 and moving to my home state of New Mexico. I also put the word out to the parents, volunteers and Boat Captains how important it would be to the children and community that the Virginia C.A.S.T. for Kids event continue for years to come. I asked anyone interested in coordinating the 2008 event to contact me so that I could train them during the next few months and successfully "hand over" the event before my departure from the area.
   Finally, after the Closing Remarks and some emotional "good byes," we still had one very special treat left for the participating children, parents, and volunteers. Because the participating children who had been fishing missed out on the on-shore activities earlier in the day, we were very grateful to have Dog Handlers Morris Berkowitz and Sherry Stone from the Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security Canine Enforcement Program put on a K-9 demonstration for the crowd. For a few minutes, Morris and Sherry guided working dog "Jackpot" through some drug enforcement scenarios to the amazement and thrills of the crowd. We greatly appreciate Morris and Sherry providing the very special program especially for child participants and their parents.
   As with all C.A.S.T. for Kids events held around the country, the goal of the Virginia event was to provide the participating children and their families with a fun, safe, and exciting fishing and outdoor experience. While thankfully this was successfully accomplished, the Virginia event, like so many others, yielded perhaps much more valuable rewards. In the words of Seth, one of the parents who wrote to me after the event:
   "It was such a relief to be able to participate in a large event where we didn't feel a bit self-conscious about our son's disabilities and where he was celebrated for being who he is….where the purpose of the event was to put a smile on his face - and you sure succeeded! Too often we shy away from getting our son out to new adventurous, crowded, or noisy events because we aren't sure he'll be able to handle it. Our experience yesterday has inspired us to do more to get out and to try new experiences. My wife Julie and I express our profound appreciation for all that you and your organization did to make yesterday such a delightful day for our family."
   Seth, we could not be happier that we have opened up a brand new world for you, your son, and the many other participating children and families to explore. As you meet new challenges and try new adventures, we wish you and each of them the very best.
   It's been an incredible two years, Virginia…thank you for the wonderful C.A.S.T. for Kids memories. Good luck in 2008 and beyond as you Catch A Special Thrill!! God Bless you all, Butch

(Click on a picture to enlarge)

Event Information
Location	Woodbridge, VA
When	September 8, 2007
Participants:	40 children 227 volunteers 48 Boaters
Partners & Sponsors:	The Centech Group, Arlington Wal-Mart Stores, Manassas (2), Dumfries, Fairfax, Sterling, Burke, Woodbridge, Kingstowne, and Leesburg The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant, Woodbridge Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse, Woodbridge U.S. Bureau of Land Management - U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Customs and Border Protection Canine Enforcement Program - U.S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Bureau of Reclamation - U.S. Department of the Interior Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation - Leesylvania State Park Occoquan, Woodbridge, and Lorton (O.W.L.) Fire Station 12, Woodbridge Virginia Bass Federation, Region 1 Potomac Bass Masters of Virginia Concerned Bass Anglers of Virginia (CBAV) New Horizon Bass Anglers PAC-10 Alumni Association Volunteers "Just Because" Volunteers Boy Scout Troop 1577, Herndon Mason Neck Lions Club, Lorton Woodbridge Lion's Club, Woodbridge American Bar-b-que, Lorton Boaters World Marine Center, Woodbridge Bass Pro Shops Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, Page, AZ Polo Grill, Lorton Boston Market, Woodbridge Starbucks Coffee, Woodbridge Dunkin' Donuts, Woodbridge U-Haul, Woodbridge Varsity Graphics, Woodbridge Trains Etc. Hobby Shop, Lorton R & D Stamp and Sign Co., Lorton Raptor Conservancy of Virginia U.S. Army Ft. Belvoir - HHC 249 Engineers Battalion Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts, Woodbridge Rainbow Rentals, Alexandria Party City, Woodbridge Best Buy, Woodbridge Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Woodbridge On the Border Mexican Restaurant, Woodbridge The Silver Diner, Woodbridge Red Lobster, Woodbridge Famous Dave's Barbeque, Woodbridge Chili's, Woodbridge Romano's Macaroni Grill, Woodbridge Uno Chicago Grill, Woodbridge Bob Evans Restaurant, Woodbridge IHOP, Woodbridge Sam's Club, Woodbridge Giant Food Stores Bloom Food Stores
Children's Agencies:	Parents of Autistic Children of Northern Virginia The ARC of Northern Virginia Exceptional Family Members Program, Ft. Belvoir Eddie's Club, Springfield

Back to 2007 Events