Fishing derby welcomes students

The Diamondhead community will welcome more than 200 guests on Friday to its annual fishing derby for students with special needs at local schools.

The Diamondhead Lions Club's Fishing Derby will be the 30th annual Jim Hartford event. The club's oldest members and documents show the derby has always been focused toward students with special needs.

The 2-acre front pond of the community was stocked by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission with more than 400 catfish. Members of the Lions Club have fed the fish for the past two weeks.

"They're just hopping and popping out here," said Jimmie Weber, fishing derby chairman for the Lions Club.

An expected 90 students will visit Diamondhead from schools in the Fountain Lake, Hot Springs, Lakeside, Magnet Cove and Malvern school districts. At least a one-to-one ratio is expected for students to adults.

A total of 200 visiting students, teachers, parents and grandparents are expected to attend. Another 75 volunteers who are residents or members of the Lions Club, or both, will be on hand to supply lunch, make sure everyone has enough water and to stage a raffle during the event.

The derby has been cleared by the AGFC and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. The AGFC has stocked the pond for the derby for more than 30 years. The commission promotes fishing events throughout the state.

"I can't say enough about the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission," Weber said. "This is truly your tax dollars at work. Just great people. They stock it and we pay nothing for the fish."

Students will begin to arrive at about 9:30 a.m. Officers from the Diamondhead Police Department and the Arkansas State Parks Police Department will help manage traffic for their safety.

Fishing will commence at about 10 a.m. Students are provided with all of the fishing poles and bait they need.

"All they have to do is provide their laughter and smiles. The poles are basically right there for them to just pick up and start fishing," Weber said.

"Our Lions and volunteers out here help bait the hooks and pull the fish in," he said. "We've got some pretty good sized fish. They start screaming as soon as they start pulling the fish in. It just starts immediately. It's quite an event."

Participants are given the option to catch and release or take their fish home with them. Fishing will continue to 11-11:30 a.m.

Students will then be bused to the nearby Diamondhead Community Center for lunch and the prize drawings. Every student will receive a prize.

"The kids are totally excited," Weber said. "In this raffle, each child is going to have a raffle prize of at least $10. Anything from rods and reels to backpacks and all kinds of sporting goods stuff. It's just a wonderful thing. It's like Christmas for the kids, but it's a raffle."

More than 35 donors and sponsors make the raffle possible. About 30 private donors provide funds and gifts for the raffle. Corporate sponsors and donors include Dick's Sporting Goods, McDonald's, Sports Academy and Wal-Mart. Weber said the club "cannot thank them enough for their contributions."

"The fun part of it is watching the kids," Weber said. "What we receive in return is the laughter and excitement of a child catching a fish and getting a prize."

Local fire departments and rescue teams visit with the students and give them the chance to interact with their official vehicles. A rescue helicopter will land on site if weather permits.

"They'll land right in the parking lot, which is quite a sight," Weber said.

The event begins to wind down after 2 p.m. Weber said the derby provides fun activities out of school and a new experience for the participating students, teachers and family members.

"Each year, some of the kids come back, and when they come back, they're just totally excited about it," Weber said. "The neighborhood is excited to do this."

Local on 04/28/2016

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