“We never thought fishing was a possibility for our son. Thank you for making it possible! He loved it!”
This is a C.A.S.T. for Kids event designed to provide children with disabilities, ages 5 – 17, the opportunity to enjoy a quality outdoor recreational experience through the sport of fishing. Take to the water with C.A.S.T. for an unforgettable morning of fishing and boating!Event Location
Lake Monroe
Bloomington, Indiana (map)
Event Coordinator
Amy Barrett
(812) 360-7103
Donate to This Event
See More About This Event!
Check out this video taken at a past event by one of our participants!
Event Itinerary
Our C.A.S.T. for Kids events are include lots of fun and celebration! You can expect 2-3 hours of fishing, a delicious lunch and an awards celebration where your child will receive a personalized plaque. This is a day of fishing your child will never forget!
2018 Event Recap
Lake Monroe’s cooler summer day brought sunshine and smiles to everyone involved- what a perfect day! Held at the beach shelter house at the Fairfax Recreational Area, the day started out setting up at 5:30am. Jack’s Donuts and Starbucks coffee provided breakfast for all the volunteers and boat captains. Being Indiana’s first event, the image of how the day would flow was not quite established in anyone’s mind. Thank God Jeff was there to give us a visualization! After trying to figure out how to make registration and boat loading flow with ease, the day started and we were ready! The kiddos and their families began to arrive. What joy it was to see them with excitement in their eyes!
Children were paired with their eager captains, pictures were taken, life jackets were snuggly snapped and everyone was loaded on their boat. They were off and what a relief it was that all went smoothly! As the kiddos were fishing and enjoying a leisure boat ride, volunteers were tearing down registration and setting up lunch. And what a mighty lunch it was! Limestone BBQ donated amazing hamburgers and hotdogs. McAlister’s Deli donated a plethora of chips. Chick-fil-A donated their famous lemonade and iced tea as well as 2 huge fruit trays. Magic Morning shared their magic and donated 4 dozen cookies. The stage was set to feed the masses.
Everyone arrived back at the shelter house safely with smiles, laughter and stories to tell! Animals balloons were made and passed out, frogg toggs chilly pads were in use and draped over little heads, the DJ was playing music, a breeze blew off the lake and everyone ate and enjoyed each other’s company. It was picturesque!
As everyone finished up eating, we began the award ceremony by thanking everyone involved, captains, volunteers, local food businesses, and product/gear donors. This was a moment to remember, seeing a community come together to make this event happen. Everyone sharing the same vision- giving these children a day they will never forget.
Then it was time to pass out the plaques. The kids came up with such pride accepting their award. Everyone listened to them give their day’s highlights. “I caught 33 fish”, “He went as fast as a roller coaster”, “It was my first time on a boat”… there were tears and applauses while listening to them share! After they were done sharing their stories and accepting their plaque, the kids were then sent over to the giveaway table! It is incredible how many companies donated product to give to the kids! They LOVED it!
After the families left with their giveaways, tackle boxes and rods/reels, volunteers stuck around for tear down and a volunteer/captain giveaway. I can easily say, everyone left with their hearts filled and excitement for next year’s event! What a blessing this day was and will always be!
Thanks to our Event Sponsors
Solar Bat, Chick-fil-A, IU Bass Fishing Team, Indiana University Student Foundation, P-Line, frogg toggs, STEELSHAD, Super Clean, Starbucks, Bob’s Machine Shop, Salt Creek Tackle, Fourwinds Lakeside Inn and Marina
Aftco, Smithville Christian Church, Swagger Tackle Co., Liquid Mayhem, Fulcrum FIshing, The Hook Pal, Flambeau, Cadence Magic Morning, Longhorn Steak House, Jack’s Donuts, Limestone BBQ, McAlister’s Deli
