Cocoa Beach Optimist Club Fishing Derby

It's only fifteen seconds, but it is fifteen seconds of one of the best Optimist Club projects that I've seen. The Cocoa Beach Optimist Club, Florida, coordinates a huge fishout with a $10,000 prize.

Take a look at all the fun and imagine what your Optimist Club can do in its community.

Children fish for $10,000 prize money with Cocoa Beach Optimist Club

Nothing is better than fishing with children unless it also involves an Optimist Club and the beauty of a Florida beach.

The Cocoa Beach Optimist Club has been delivering a priceless family experience to the Space Coast community at Port Canaveral for 32 years. This year the Great Optimist Fishout takes place on April 25, 2015. Presented by Southeastern Honda, it will be another day for the memory books.

Children in four age categories will vie for $600 in prize money for the top three biggest fish by weight in each age group. However a bigger prize awaits beneath the water. One lucky youth angler and his or her family could win a big catch of $10,000. A specially tagged fish has been released and is available for the catch. It is insured by the Cocoa Beach Optimist Club.

See some photos and read more here about the Great Optimist Fishout. 

A special fishing derby in Idaho

I belong to two Optimist Clubs. One is near where I live and I attend regularly and participate in nearly every activity coordinated by the Middleton Area Optimist Club.

However, my other club, the Jerome Optimist Club is two hours away. That's not a terribly long distance when you consider the rural state that is Idaho; however, it is too far for general participation, especially on weekdays.

On Monday, May 12, 2014, the Jerome Optimist Club put on one of its most cherished events: the Special Needs Fishing Derby. Sheri Mitchell, club president and activity manager, is shown here with the some of the participants. They're showing off their small catch of the day.

More than 100 fishermen and women were at this year's Fishing Derby. They were joined with at least 50 or more fishing buddies, adult volunteers who help the kids land their catch.

Clear Springs Foods supplies the trout and Idaho Fish and Game and Sportsman Warehouse help with supplies, and high school students assist with onsite activities; but it is truly the passion of the Jerome Optimist Club, and Sheri, that brings this remarkable event to life.

The kids appreciate it; the community appreciates it; and so do I. Great job my friends, the Jerome Optimist Club.

Ice fishing: it's a good thing it's cold

A time-honored tradition was observed by the Wausau Optimist Club on February 9, 2014 when Optimist Club members and young anglers hit the ice for the annual Optimist Youth Fisheree. It's the 40th year that Optimist Club has taken kiddos and their families ice fishing.

According to DuWayne Witter, co-chair, "It's a nice outing and even though it 's been cold the past couple years, you get to go out and do something and not just sit in the house." 

WFXS, MyFoxWausau - News and Weather for Wausau, WI

Getting out and being active leads to positive thoughts and good mental health. And that's just one more reason to belong to an Optimist Club. Be an optimist; it makes you healthy!

Hello there, trout

Four-year old James McCoy caught his first fish over the weekend. It was a 14-inch trout and the occasion was made possible by an Optimist Club.

The Optimist Club members of Buena Vista, Colorado were the hosts of the Annual Fun in the Park event that included the fishing derby. Local angler groups and the Colorado Parks and Wildlife helped sponsor the event and served as mentors for the young fishermen and women.

According to the Optimist Club, significant numbers to know from the event are:

• 122 kids went fishing
• 76 fish were caught
• 196 bags of chips were consumed
• 10 gallons of lemonaid were drank
• 220 hot dogs and buns were enjoyed by all

And at least one young man saw up close and personal just how scary a 14-inch trout can be. 

Story and picture courtesy of the Buena Vista Optimist Club.

How to share your optimism: a fish story

My home Optimist Club in Jerome, Idaho hosts a special needs fishing derby every year. It is scheduled on a school day so that transportation can be provided by the school district. With it being a weekday and several hours away from where I work, I usually don't get to attend; but I am so appreciative of my friends, loyal Optimist Club members, and the community for stepping up to this important and empowering activity.

The pictures always show the pure joy, wonder, and accomplishment of the fishermen and women and I get a little giddy in their happiness.

Today, on Father's Day, Steve Skodak, Executive Director of the Optimist International Foundation shared his own fishing story via a newsletter to Optimist Club members and Optimist International Foundation donors. Father's Day seems like a perfect time to share a fishing story; don't you agree?

My heart was warmed even more to see his fishing story was about a special needs fishing derby with his home club in St. Charles, Missouri. Unlike me, he was able to attend and he snapped this great picture of his fishing buddy for the day, Alex.

Steve explained in his note that the local Optimist Club provided baited poles, angling lessons, buddies to fish with, and lunch. There were awards for the biggest fish, smallest fish, and most fish caught, among other things. Steve wrote, "Everyone went home with a medallion around their neck, a full tummy and memories of the 'big one' that got away."

But it's his next line that makes every Optimist Club member do what they do time and again. Steve reported, "Each of us went away with something more amazing than a trophy or medallion. Remembering Alex’s face as he reeled in a fish will make me grin for some time."

Steve, thanks for sharing your optimism and your story. It made me grin too and I hazard to guess that it will make others grin as well. 

Photo courtesy of Steve Skodak. 

Bixby Optimist Club goes fishing

Fishing derbies are a popular Optimist Club activity. Where else can you teach traditional values and patience, and enjoy the outdoors at the same time? The latest Optimist Club to share a video with me about their fishing experience was the Optimist Club of Bixby, Oklahoma. Hope you enjoy!

A very special project

Optimist Clubs rush to get many of their programs completed before the end of the school year. That may seem odd, as children really need things to do and places to go in the summer months. However, it is easy to engage with them while the students are still in session. Sometimes the school or school district can be a big help, and that is exactly the relationship between the Optimist Club of Jerome, Idaho and the Jerome School District for the Special Needs Fishing Derby.

The school's role: they provide the buses to get the kids to and from the event.

Sheri Mitchell, Project Chairman, the Special Needs Fishing Derby describes the event: 

The Special Needs Fishing Derby is a free event to students of all ages with physical and mental disabilities in the Jerome area. It is the only field trip for the special needs students in the Jerome High School. The students, with the help of paraprofessionals, aides, and volunteers, fish for the day making all the noise they want. They bring their lunches and at the end of the day, take home their catch. The pond is stocked with local trout that range up to 6 lbs. in size! All poles, hooks, sinkers, worms and bottled water are provided for free.

The primary goal is to make sure that each child catches a really big fish! It is also a goal that this project does not cost the Jerome Optimist Club any money as members want this to be a project that finds support, donations and volunteers in the community. 

The Special Needs Fishing Derby began in 1975.  Optimist Club member E. P. Martin, deceased, donated the use of the pond on his farm for a special day. Seeing how much fun the children had that day inspired him, his family, and the Optimist Club to return every year since. The event holds a special place in the hearts of the members of the Jerome Optimist Club. It holds an even bigger place in the hearts of the children and their families. What a great display of "Bringing out the Best in Kids."

More information is available at JSD Special Education. 

"That's a keeper!"

The Optimist Club of Brighton, Michigan will host the 25th Annual Fishing Derby on June 11. It will be held, as usual, at the well-loved and fondly remembered Mill Pond, the site of all previous fishing derbies and where many people in the community first learned to fish.

To commemorate this special anniversary, the Optimist Club has commissioned a sculpture from nationally-known artist and Brighton artist  Mike Monroe.

The sculpture, design shown here, is being created with children in mind. They will be able to touch it, crawl on it, and learn from it. The design process included kids who reviewed a selection of concepts and ultimately chose the one that would be created. In fact, kids even helped name it when one young man exclaimed, "That's a keeper!" 

The sculpture will be placed at the Imagination Station at Mill Pond and dedicated on June 11, 7:30 a.m., immediately before the fishing derby takes off.

Photo courtesy of the Brighton Optimist Club. 

Teach a kid to fish

"It's time to untangle those fishing lines, dust off the bobbers and load up on bait," claims Alexis Bechman, Reporter, Payson Roundup.

I couldn't agree more. The Fifth Annual Kids Fishing Festival in Payson, Arizona is just the first of the popular fishing events to make it to my inbox. As summer approaches, there will be many more.

What I enjoy most about this fishing event are the pictures. Please click here for the headline photo taken by Max Foster for the Payson Roundup. Those kids are what being an Optimist Club member is all about.

Teaching children to enjoy simple pleasures is often overlooked, but with a fishing derby, children get active, they are outside with adults and mentors; and they are joyful. Never doubt that smile of amazement when the fish is landed. Teach a kid to fish and they will understand patience and wonder throughout their life.

Visit the Rim Country Optimist Club for more pictures from the 2010 event and information about the 2011 Kids Fishing Festival on April 9.

Fishing brings smiles to all

Spring brings sunshine and outdoors activities.  Some of the most inspirational outdoor activities I have seen recently are Optimist Club fishing derbies. 

The Optimist Club of Atascadero, California has planned three fishing derbies this year and the first was held last weekend at Margarita Lake.  According to Optimist Club member and fishing enthusiast Del Bishop, the club wantto make kids happy.   “I love fishing, and I’ve always been interested in getting kids involved,” Bishop said. “Kids fish for life and learn patience and respect for life at the same time. The main thing is it’s a way for kids and family to spend time together; the day lasts four hours, so that’s at least four hours kids and parents are together.”


Also last weekend, the Rim County Optimist Club of Payson, Arizona held their fourth annual fishing festival, a cooperative effort with the parks and recreation department at Green Valley Lake. 

The fishing is free, the equipment and food are provided and the smiles on the children are big.  Please click on the links to enjoy the pictures.


Atascadero News in PDF.

Payson Roundup in PDF.