As the sun rose on the banks of Walter C. Best Wildlife Preserve on May 23, so did anticipation for a multi-school field trip thanks to a host of good-hearted volunteers.
As the sun rose on the banks of Walter C. Best Wildlife Preserve on May 23, so did anticipation for a multi-school field trip thanks to a host of good-hearted volunteers.
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 Rotary Fishing event founded in 2012 by Jim Dvorak, Burton Middlefield Rotary Club vocational service director, set sail.
“We’re doing the Lord’s work today by helping special needs children out and giving them this morning of normalcy,” Dvorak said, in a short opening prayer with volunteers at Sunset Shelter. He thanked Geauga Park District for their help in closing the park down for the event, which was hosted by the Chagrin Valley, Chardon, Chesterland and Burton-Middlefield Rotaries, as well as The Chip Henry Institute for Outdoor Adventure and Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve.
Safety forces volunteers included Munson Fire Department, Chardon Fire Department, the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office and Chardon Police Department.
Janet Sapp, supervisor for the STARS Autism Program with the ESCWR, organized students in the STARS and ACHIEVE program — a multiple disabilities program — to participate.
“This is the first multiprogram event that our students have participated in since COVID,” Sapp said. “It was wonderful to return to a sense of normalcy and be able to enjoy this fishing trip again. I think this is a great event for our students because it introduces them to something they may not have tried before. It also gives them an opportunity to meet and interact with new people, as well as enjoy the beautiful parks that Geauga County has to offer.”
This year, 62 children in kindergarten through 12th grade from Berkshire, Cardinal, Kenston and West Geauga school districts participated along with teachers and staff members.
“When you see the looks on their faces, it’s priceless,” Burton Middlefield Rotarian Bob Johnson said. “They love getting outside and it’s something different and unusual.”
Ashley Brzozowski, job training coordinator for Berkshire Schools, runs the Badger Lab program and had 12 students attend the trip.
“The students were very excited for this field trip because they haven’t been able to see their friends from other programs in a long time because of COVID. It’s been two years since they had seen them,” Brzozowski said. “Some of the students in our program hadn’t seen their friends since middle school. The smiles on their faces when they were reunited made the trip extra special.”
She added, “I think that Jim Dvorak and all the volunteers do an excellent job ensuring that our students get to experience a day of fishing and relaxation. The volunteers are truly selfless and we appreciate them taking the time to make our students and staff feel special for the day. It was like being in a utopia since the park is closed down for our groups. It is an event my students look forward to each year. It was wonderful to be together again.”
Volunteer Bill Atkinson, an experienced fisherman with the Chip Henry group, helped bait, cast and encourage young students from Jordak Elementary School near the north park entrance.
“Seeing the kids’ faces light up with a giant smile when they catch their first fish is one of the most amazing things to witness,” Atkinson said.
The Chip Henry Institute for Outdoor Adventure was established in 2011 as a memorial to the late Geauga County Probate and Juvenile Court Judge Charles “Chip” Henry, whose life’s work and passion was to make a lasting impact on young people, and who believed adventures in nature are critical to healthy development.
“Good work man, all by yourself,” Atkinson told young angler Gabe Noce as he reeled in his first sunfish and released it back into the water.
“He’s gotta go home,” Noce said with a smile as he watched the fish swim away and scampered over to start all over again with another baited rod and reel.
“He’s having the time of his life,” Gabes’s teacher, Isabella Caperton said, while capturing photos on her phone.
“I look forward to this event all year long because I know how happy this day make these kids whom otherwise have a lot of challenging obstacles to overcome in their daily lives,” Atkinson added. “Hopefully, this event makes them forget about any hardships they are experiencing and allows them to connect with nature and enjoy the outdoors for a day.”
Noce continued to catch more than a dozen bluegill, sunfish and largemouth bass throughout the morning.
“Gabe is just a fishing machine,” Atkinson said. “It’s the excitement of interacting with nature in its purest sense. I feel there is something innate and primal regarding fishing in all people and watching this be expressed as pure excitement in kids is simply amazing. This is one of my favorite events of the year, and I hope the kids look forward to the event next year as much as I do.”
