July 8, 2002
Shari Kohlbecker
(208) 378-5050
Barbara Lesser, Bend Field Office
(541) 389-6541
TDD: 1-800-735-2900

C.A.S.T. For Kids Reels in Whopper of Fun

Children with a wide range of disabilities will have the opportunity to reel in a whopper of a good time as they join some enthusiastic volunteers during the fifth annual C.A.S.T. for Kids event scheduled for Prineville Reservoir on Sunday, July 14.

C.A.S.T., which stands for "Catch a Special Thrill," offers children with disabilities and terminal illnesses 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 of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Bend Field Office. "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, a tee shirt, and a hat," Lesser said.

The state bass anglers societies work under the large umbrella of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS). Volunteers from the Central Oregon BASS Club will provide fishing boats and expertise to assist novice anglers. The morning fishing events will be followed by a barbecue lunch hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Prineville.

The Crook County Sheriff’s Department will be assisting with parking and traffic control and the Prineville Fire Department will be providing emergency services for the event.

Bait and tackle for this year’s C.A.S.T. event is being provided by Moonlight Marine in Bend. Pepsi products for the event will be provided by the Pepsi Cola Bottling Company of Bend for the third consecutive year. Water bottles will be provided for the participants, as they have been in the previous three years, by Les Schwab Tire Centers of Central Oregon and the Coca Cola Bottling Company of Oregon in Bend.

Partners include: C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation; Bureau of Reclamation; 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 Bureau of Reclamation, Suite 100, 1150 North Curtis Road, Boise ID 83706-1234 or (208) 378-5050 or visit the C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation official website at www.castforkids.org.

For information about the July 14 event, contact, Barbara Lesser, Bend Field Office (541) 389-6541. In the event of rain the C.A.S.T. event will be canceled.