Fishing derby raises money for children’s bookcase project

Five-year-old Westin Pattrick reached back and swung his fishing line into the water hoping to catch a big fish. He soon felt a tug and began reeling in his catch, which turned out to be a tree branch.
    "That's what some people call a 'tree bass,'" said Danielle, Westin's mother.
    "Oh man, I thought it was a fish," Westin said.
    Similar scenes occurred Saturday morning around Lake Charles at Dodge City Community College as children participated in the Fishing Derby, a fundraiser for the "Bookcase for Every Child Project."
    Throughout the morning, kids and parents circled around the lake with their fishing poles and supplies to try to catch the most fish. Many kids changed their bait every few minutes and had as much fun selecting their lures as they did actually fishing.
    Snacks and goodies were also available during the Fishing Derby.
    Bright Beginnings Principal Mark Woofter, who cooked up homemade doughnuts for everyone, said he rounded up some neighborhood kids to help him make several practice batches so he could perfect them for the kids.
    Woofter said it only took about 12 batches to discover that Grand's Buttermilk brand was the best.
    Kids also munched on Swedish fish and juice, Bait Buckets (jello and worms), Bait in a Boat (pancakes and eggs), and Fish 'N' Poles, which were stick pretzels and goldfish crackers.
    "This is the first fish I caught today, and I'm eating it," said 10-year-old Amanda Struzik as she snacked on her Fish 'N' Poles.
    Struzik began to lose patience with her bait and fishing pole.
    "I just want to go swimming and catch it the old-fashioned way," she said.
    Amanda's sister, Katie, who is an eighth-grade student at Dodge City Middle School, caught an 8- or 9- inch fish and won a purse for the most fish caught by a girl.
    But the day belonged to the boys when it came to catching the most fish.
    Aaron Trent, only 5 years old, walked away with a new fishing rod and tackle box for catching six fish and a turtle. He said part of his secret for winning the grand prize was the worms he used as bait.
    Omar Ruiz and Dillion Berkhart both received two movie passes for catching a 14-inch carp and a catfish, respectively. 
    Andrew Finley also did a great job, managing to reel in an 11-inch smallmouth bass. Estavon Garcia also did well with his 7-inch catch of the day.
    The award for catching the smallest fish went to Kasey Keachey, who caught both a 5-inch and a 4 3/4-inch fish. Keachey also received free movie tickets for his efforts.
    Westin Pattrick continued to have an interesting day, adding a long weed and golf ball to his first catch of a “tree bass.”
    After the children were done fishing, each child "fished for a book." This activity was made possible by a book drive at DCCC.
    All of the other awards and prizes were donated by local businesses and organizations. 
    While the kids were fishing, they had the opportunity to tell their fish tales and let their imaginations take over.
    Their creative stories will be showcased in a book filled with pictures and other details of the day's events, which will be available in several weeks. 
    For her fish tale, Amanda Struzik told everyone that she caught a fish as big as a tree that ate half her fishing pole and almost bit off her pinky.
    Having the children tell fish tales was a way of incorporating literacy into the event because the purpose of the bookcase project is to help improve literacy in the community by making reading fun and getting children involved with books at a young age, said Sheila Grayson. 
 "This is all about literacy," she said.
    She explained how the bookcase project organization partners with organizations such as Bright Beginnings to determine the recipients of the personalized bookcases that organizers will give to low-income children later on in the year.
    Project chairman David Grayson said in order for organizers to give 50 children a bookcase of their own at a Nov. 1 awards ceremony, more funds and assistance are needed.
    Once enough money is raised, David Grayson will build 50 solid oak bookcases that will each display a child’s name. The children will also receive their very own book collection that they can have in their home and add to as they grow up. 
  "We want to get children interested in reading from the get-go," David Grayson said.
    People wanting to contribute to the project can donate new or "gently used" books, volunteer to read to children at the Head Start Program, help build bookcases or make a donation.
    Contact David Grayson at (620) 227-3064 for more information.

Reach Cherise Forno at (620) 408-9931 or e-mail her at cherise.forno@dodgeglobe.com.