Four local children went home as winners.
The Medford-Vincentown Rotary held its fifth annual Fishing Derby Saturday morning from 9–11 a.m., where local children had the chance to earn a variety of prizes.
The awards went to Eamonn Walton, who caught the most fish; Colt Schad, who caught the second most fish; Wyatt Navarette, who caught the third most fish; and Logan Seitz, who caught the largest fish.
All winners were awarded new fishing poles.
“It feels really good,” Walton said about being named the winter.
Walton noted he was an avid fisher and plans to put his new fishing pole to good use.
Although it was the fifth year the Medford-Vincentown Rotary held the fishing derby, it was the 10th time the event was held.
“The township was doing it. And when the township ran into financial trouble [five years ago], they stopped most of the fun events like this for budgetary reasons,” said Eric “Derby Dude” Stephen, one of the event’s organizers. “And in the Rotary, we stepped up and took over the Easter Egg Hunt, the fishing derby. So for five years now, we’ve been doing both events. It’s open to children of all ages”
The event was sponsored by Leo’s Yum Yum, which donated free ice cream coupons for all children who participated.
Those who participated in the derby enjoyed the event.
“We saw online that they were having the derby and my son is really into fishing,” Don Wu said of his son Darren. “I went to one five years ago with my other son.”
“This is the first time we’ve been here,” said Mike Capodicasa, the father of Alex. “We saw somebody catch a snapping turtle and catch a snake. It’s a quite exciting time.”
Prior to his grandson winning the award for largest fish, Logan Seitz’s grandfather, Bob Ellis, said “my grandson tried to catch his first fish in two years, and he saw this advertised so we decided to come out.”
Scott Andryca and his children, Emily and Derek, are veterans of the fishing derby.
“This is my fifth one for my daughter and my second one for my son,” Andryca said. “It’s all about the kids, and the Rotary Club makes it great for the kids to come out here.”
The Rotary Club puts on many of the town’s events over the course of the year, including the Easter Egg Hunt and, more famously, the Halloween parade.
“Rotary is a global, international service organization, but our club in particular really likes to work locally,” said Medford-Vincentown Rotary’s President Mike Pagnotta. “But this is one of the events we’re able to do that’s really beneficial to the kids and the families right here in Medford and in other areas, too.”
