Golden Triangle Outdoors hosts 26th annual Catfish Roundup
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Golden Triangle Outdoors is hosting its 26th annual catfish roundup.
Volunteers in the community have been working since the beginning of the year to make this happen.
This two-day event is for people with special needs to get outside, catch a few catfish, and, most importantly, have some fun.
Ethan is an attendee of the Catfish Roundup who reeled in many fish.
His grandmother, whom he calls Lulu, loves to see the look on Ethan’s face when he catches a fish.
She says events like this mean the world to her family.
“It’s just the best thing,” said Lura Brown (LuLu). “There are so many opportunities for special needs now, and it just means the world to us because they want to be like other kids, and they have to play ball and be able to go fish. And so that’s what this is all about.”
Camille Arnett teaches special education at Caledonia Elementary.
She said this not only helps her students get involved in the community, but it also gives them a chance to do something they may have never experienced.
“Whether they have motor difficulties or they might just not come from a family that gets to fish, this is a day that gets to celebrate them and all their differences that make them unique and make them who they are,” Arnett said. “It just means a lot seeing them come out here and thrive, and see all these people out here to support them. ”
Her students said this is one of their favorite days of the school year.
“I just like fishing and eating, and I just like having fun,” said Khyson, a Caledonia Elementary student. “My favorite part of the whole day is going somewhere fun with my class. ”
“I’m gonna come back next year. This was a good time,” said Laerill, a Caledonia Elementary student.
Volunteer Debbie Taylor and Owner of Barksdale Catfish Lake Tony Hannah say seeing the reactions to something like catching a fish makes it all worth it.
“First of all, it makes me feel thankful that they’re able to experience that, and then it gives me a reality check of all the things that I take for granted that I get to do that they don’t,” Taylor said.
“To see a mother cry because her child just caught their first fish is something special. And so we try to highlight them for two days and just let them come out and be a normal kid,” Hannah said.
Around 150-200 people attended on May 1st, and they are expecting more on May 2nd.
Golden Triangle Outdoors says they are thankful for all the sponsors and volunteers who made this possible.
