All Smiles at this Year's 2017 C.A.S.T. for Kids Event at Lake Bastrop, TX

Written by: Emily Quinn

A C.A.S.T. participant reels in a nice fishThe annual C.A.S.T. for Kids event at Lake Bastrop (TX) this past Saturday (May 6, 2017) was a huge success. In total, 30 volunteer boat captains attended with 50 other volunteers, and 29 kids participated in the event.

No one was without a smile. As kids reeled in their catch, their laughter – and the laughter from volunteers and family members – could be heard from far away. Everyone had a great time!

The C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation was created in 1991, and is a public charity designed to pair volunteers with a passion for fishing and children with disabilities and disadvantages for a fun day of fishing. The event creates an adaptive environment for children ages 5-17, who may not otherwise have an opportunity to go fishing.

Kids attend events at local lakes or bodies of water, and are supplied with their very own rod and reel, t-shirt, hat, and tackle box. They’re partnered with an experienced, volunteer angler and are taken out on a boat (with a parent or guardian), and shown the basics of fishing.

The late, former Reclamation Commissioner John Keyes III and Reclamation employee Wayne Deason worked together to create the partnership between Reclamation and C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation back in 1992. The program now averages about eighteen events throughout the West each year.

Between 2010 and 2016 alone, the partnership between Reclamation and C.A.S.T. has touched the lives of 4,375 children. More than 7,800 individuals have volunteered their time since the program’s inception in 1992. Since the first event held 1992 at Banks Lake, Washington, the Bureau of Reclamation and the C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation have worked together to improve accessibility to outdoor recreation on Reclamation's reservoirs.

Thank you to all of the volunteers who donated time and resources to provide such a special experience to these kids.

Learn more about the C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation here: https://www.usbr.gov/youth/play/cast.html.

Volunteers prepare a BBQ lunch for participants

A C.A.S.T. for Kids participant reels in a big one.

Published on May 08, 2017