Nearly 100 turn out to enjoy annual day of fishing for disabled
kids
Ashley Mangan stood quietly holding a fishing pole in her hands. The 13-year-old was bored.
Ashley stared blankly at the calm water of the pond in front of her. The fish had been biting earlier, but they seemed to had caught on to what was happening and everything went quiet for a while. She had caught a Baby Blue Gill earlier, but had to throw it back. That was not what she was going for anyway. She wanted a trout.
And then she got a pull. Her demeanor changed. She became a little more intense as she pulled the fish to shore. After a minute of reeling it in with some help from others ,she pulled the fish out of the water. It was a trout and she was proud. Nobody could get the smile off her face or her hands off the fish.
“I think it likes me,” she said as she petted the fish in the bucket.
This years annual “Fishability Day” went off without a hitch. With the perfect weather, great organization, and a large turnout, organizers said they wish every year could go so well.
“Fishability Day” is an event for the developmentally disabled in the Gavilan District Area which includes cities such as Gilroy, Morgan Hill, San martin and others. The event has been put on by the Sportsman Chefs Association since 1991. It moved the event to the Hilltop Spring Ranch, located in Gilroy, last year to rave reviews by the athletes even though the fish were not biting and the weather was cold.
No matter if the weather is nice or not, the athletes seem to love the ability to go out and participate in an activity they may usually not have the ability in which to participate.
“A lot of these kids stay in homes and a lot are in wheelchairs and can’t stand on their own,” said Gilroy recreation supervisor, John Garcia. “Here, it’s 100 percent them.”
A look around the crowded shore of the pond brought together a picture of smiling faces and family togetherness. An athlete could go from total boredom to extreme excitement in an instant once they caught a fish on their line.
“It was great!” said Justin Allgood, a 12-year-old who caught the first fish of the day. “Everyone just came running over (to watch).”
Although this day is for the children, the parents and siblings of the athletes walk away with memory’s of their own.
“It’s the best thing you can do for your kids,” said Dennis Allgood, Justin’s father. “You can’t beat these times with your kid.”
And that is exactly what the Sportsman Chefs Association is hoping for. Gary DeLorenzo, the association’s president, said the group started up in 1985 but used to be a bunch of guys getting together and just sitting with no purpose. Then in 1991 they took over “Fishability Day” and now spend all year raising money to put the event together.
“Look at the smiles, the joy when they catch a fish. Nothing better could happen to them at that moment,” DeLorenzo said.
Danny Martin, a member of the association for about a year-and-a-half, said that once he found out what the event was about he had to be a part of it.
“This is a great cause,” Martin said. “It’s an opportunity to share experiences with people.
“(The athletes) remember this experience and look forward to it every year.”
The idea of making new friend’s and memories may be nice, but athlete Isaiah Amaya may have said it best about what the greatest part of the day was.
“Fishing and hamburgers,” he simply said.
