July 9, 2001
John Redding
(208) 378-5021
Barbara Lesser
(541) 389-6541
TDD: 1-800-735-2900

Fourth Annual Cast for Kids Event

Children with a wide range of disabilities will have the opportunity to reel in a whopper of a good time as they join enthusiastic volunteers during the fourth annual CAST for Kids event scheduled for Prineville Reservoir on Sunday, July 15.

CAST, which stands for "Catch a Special Thrill," offers children with disabilities an opportunity to enjoy a day of fishing at Prineville Reservoir State Park, near Prineville, Oregon.

"For some kids, this is their first experience fishing," said Barbara Lesser, local coordinator of the CAST event for the past two years. "For the volunteers, it’s a great opportunity to be part of a special experience that these children will remember for a lifetime."

The children invited range in age from 7-16 years old and have a variety of physical or developmental disabilities and, in some cases, a terminal illness. Each participant will receive fishing gear, tee shirt, and hat, Lesser said.

The state bass anglers societies work under the large umbrella of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS) and members of the Central Oregon BASS Club will be on hand with fishing boats and experienced boat captains to assist novice anglers. The morning fishing event will be followed by a barbecue lunch hosted by the Prineville Kiwanis Club. This will be the second year that cold beverages will be provided by the Pepsi Cola Bottling Company of Bend. Les Schwab Tires of Central Oregon will once again provide bottled water for this year’s event as they have in previous years.

Partners include: US Bureau of Reclamation; CAST for Kids Foundation; US Bureau of Land Management, Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department, Central Oregon BASS Club, Kiwanis Club of Prineville, Crook County Sheriff’s Department, Prineville Fire Department, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Prineville Reservoir is impounded by Arthur R. Bowman Dam, located on the Crooked River about 20 miles from Prineville, Oregon.

For more background information about the event, contact Shari Kohlbecker at US Bureau of Reclamation, Suite 100, 1150 North Curtis Road, Boise ID 83706-1234 or (208) 378-5050.

For participant and volunteer information about the July 15 event, contact Barbara Lesser, US Bureau of Reclamation, Bend Field Office (541) 389-6541. In the event of rain the CAST event will be canceled.