It's ten o'clock, the weather has been promised to hold off and the crowd is growing over at Laurel Park in Marietta. So lets gather about 150 people together and lets supply the rods and reels and the bobbers and even bait the hooks.The fun begins as these anxious anglers of all sizes, shapes and backgrounds come together for fun, food and fishing.
I was asked to record the moments and I did. Experience was not required but apparently after you bait a hook cast the rod and get four straight hits then you become an experienced angler to most of the crowd.
The photos that are attached will illustrate the signing in, the pole distribution, the baiting process, the casting and catches with the fishermen or fisher-women captured on digital recording devices for all future generations to share.Two plus hours of fishing and then its time for a good lunch. Hot dogs, chips, drinks and desert made for a great morning to come to a close.
The real winners were the kids, for example, Jase Perides (7) - Lexy Hornick (3)- Ann Bella Gomez (3)- Makinze Anderson (2) and Emily Strutland (6).
Oriana and Fabian were not to be denied, as the pictures will attest to, with their multiple catches.
I didn't see too many of the now experienced anglers pan frying their catches. Actually the rule is you throw them back in to provide excitement to others on another day.The Marietta Housing authority, The Cobb Republican Party and the folk from Reconnecting Families all went in together to host this fantastic morning.
Volunteers from Marietta, from Smyrna, from South and west Cobb all chipped in to make this a wonderful experience. Cobb Republicans, Marietta Housing Folk and employess of TechQuidations were all on hand to assure the days success.
The one young man that captured every-ones heart and soul was Jair Bilal. He is 14 and he is deaf, he is autistic and he lives with his grandmother. 60 to 75 minutes without even a nibble and then he gets a bobber for his line, he is helped to cast the line and POW he gets a catfish. Be sure to view the photographs and especially the ones with Jair with Herb Garner working the pond and making the day such a fantastic moment in this young mans life. Way to Go Jair.
He is photographed and then with another cast of the rod he gets another one and then a third one.The MDJ reporter (Jon Michael) was on the scene and right at the location when number three hit the line, Jair reeled him in and the moment was captured.That's what the day was all about, young people getting in touch with nature, finding a love for the experience of accomplishing something that many folk have never had the patients to do.Not just those who fished but all the family became involved and they all shared in the fun and food.
Local Voices blogs come straight from community members and are not edited to not tamper with the authentic voice of the author.
