Jack Hexter
06-06-2009, 09:18 PM
Today my fishing club, the "Fish On Club" of New Port Richey chartered the Miss Virginia and took 30 abused and abandoned kids from Joshua House, along with a couple counselors fishing today. The 30 kids, aged from 5 to 18, were accompanied by club members to aid in baiting hooks and taking fish off the hook, (as well as occasionally hooking up a fish and handing the rod to a kid to reel up. ;) ) This has been an annual event for the last 8 years and is very enjoyable for the kids as well as very fulfilling for the club members who accompany and help them. In the morning the club provides them with a club shirt, and once under way, provide danish for breakfast. We also provide lunches and drinks and snacks throughout the day. Some of these kids have never even seen a boat, let alone been on one and pulling up a fish. Everyone caught a mess of grunts, some as many as 40 each, with an occasional mango and short red grouper thrown in to pull on the strings. This is a VERY gratifying event to see the smiles and laughter this trip brings to the kids. When they returned to the dock, the crew cleaned the catch which was sent back to Joshua House for a big fish fry.