Why support C.A.S.T. for Kids?
Let our newest staff member, Amy Gable, Eastern Operations Manager tell you what attending C.A.S.T. for Kids events has meant to her …
This year I’ve been able to be a small part of helping create genuinely happy memories for children at C.A.S.T. for Kids events at a trout stream in Pennsylvania, two New York City ponds, a river in Northern Michigan, and a large lake in Upstate New York. These are the type of memories that some only get the chance to make once-in-a-lifetime. Prior to the Northeast swing of events, my training journey started next to C.A.S.T.’s TX, AR & OK Regional Director, Jim Behnken. He introduced me to Liz Charanza during her event that she hosts in her community in Brownwood, Texas. I felt that I had a lot to learn, but that providing guidance, support, and positivity came easily to me while learning the processes in Texas. I’m a rule enforcer, a life jacket advocate and I’m all-in for safety precautions while identifying risk to the max – but I knew after just a few hours I was going to need some of Jim and Liz’s compassionate, gracious attitudes to rub off on me. Jim and Liz are perfect examples of the heart and selfless efforts that go into planning and attending an event. They will always be my first impression of a C.A.S.T. event. I was lucky enough to meet them, and I’ll forever hold those pieces of Texas that they shared with me.
Next, I got to experience an event and awards celebration with C.A.S.T.’s Eastern Regional Director, Jeff Barnes at a pond in NYC. Seeing and experiencing an awards ceremony presented by Jeff and the event coordinator side-by-side was a once in a lifetime experience for me. We will most likely never have that exact same group of children together again. The bar had now been seriously set in needing to combine everyone’s teachings with my own processes to be able to be part of a successful event. Unbelievable, really, but I learned that one fish actually had a name – Tinkerbell made an appearance! I’ll tell you what I don’t remember- how big it was or if that fish was a pumpkinseed or bluegill sunfish. What I do remember is the child’s super excited quick scream and huge ear to ear smile while catching the fish, and learning that it may have whispered its name in our ears when talking about it during the awards ceremony. I think she and I will probably never forget that fish’s name that she caught was Tink!
C.A.S.T. truly means the entire package of “Catching A Special Thrill”, from beginning to end those few hours of attending an event are unbeatable. My favorite is near the end, celebrating the children while hearing about their morning of fishing. It means to stop for a minute, look around and appreciate the participants’ authentic feel-great smiles and listen to their deep belly laughs. Things as simple as the bait worms wiggling make their day sometimes. It means to work through any obstacle and pivot quickly without hesitation so that their experience is positive. For some it’s hooking a first fish ever, for some it’s the chase. It means celebrating each child with special needs individually. It means for me to keep taking in knowledge and representing the Northeast children well. It means to keep learning from everyone around me and that evolving is part of it. It means accepting uniqueness. It’s about each participant, parent and/or guardian feeling their community behind them. It means celebrating life and being a part of making more memories. It means living up to being the hardest working one on-site. It means to keep going – there is no shortage of thrills to be had while fishing, there’s no shortage of memories to be made and there is certainly no shortage of children to be reached. Keep going!
