|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Age, social status, gender, physical fitness….these things don’t matter if you’re going fishing and enjoying the great outdoors. With that in mind and envisioning a day on the waters off Bill Bird Marina at Haulover Park, Miami-Dade Commissioner Sally Heyman created a memorable event in partnership with the Aventura Marketing Council/Chamber of Commerce (AMC) called ‘Cops, Kids & Community….Friendship Thru’ Fishing’. Comm. Heyman invited Police Officers from North Miami, North Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County Intracoastal District and Miami Beach to bring their Police Explorers and PAL participants to join groups from Best Buddies, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind to enjoy a beautiful day on the sparkling waters of the Atlantic Ocean. (QUOTE FROM COMM. HEYMAN)
And what is a charity event without sponsors! The AMC received wonderful support and sponsorships from Gary Pyott from Association 1st/Campbell Property Mgmnt; Al Eskanazy from Community-Police Relations Foundation; Greg DiVincent from Gulfstream Park; Chris Ferreira from F P L; and the late Anthony Damato from Toyota of North Miami. Their sponsorships supported the event and ensured donations to a variety of local charities.
Even though the forecast was for wind and rain, there must have been ‘someone up there’ watching over the event, as the day dawned with a bright sky and remained that way for the entire morning. As everyone arrived early in the morning at Haulover Park, a light breakfast was ready at registration and then onto the boats! Squeals of excitement were heard as the boats were boarded and left the marina dock for a three-hour fishing trip.
It was a brand-new, exciting experience for so many who had never been on a fishing boat before. The owners and staff of the three huge party fishing boats from the Kelley Fleet, the two Therapy IV boats, the Lady Mitchell, and four Miami Yacht Tour boats had all the fishing equipment ready for this special day that saw over 150 participants eager to learn how to fish. What better way for our community to come together in friendship and trust as Police Officers helped the new fishing enthusiasts bait a hook, cast out and reel in their big catch. Laughter, high fives –and lots of photos—all the way around!
While the boats were out, volunteers from Comm. Heyman’s office and the AMC prepared for the boxed lunches that were being picked up from Alaska Coffee Roasting Company. Under the big tents, tables and chairs were set up ready for the boats’ return. Lunchtime was filled with great stories of fish that were seen and fish that were caught—and lost– that morning. Almost as exciting as the experience of fishing was the sight of the huge fish swimming next to the dock, awaiting some tasty morsels of fish that were being thrown to them from the fish stations where the fish were being prepared to take home. The pelicans were there in force as well….knowing that boats coming back means food for them!
Jayden St. Jean, one of the youngsters from the North Miami Beach PAL program, wrote, “Two coaches from PAL took me and others fishing on a boat, and I’m grateful and I hope I can go again. After getting far out, we were taught how to fish and started dropping the lines. After waiting a bit, I felt a bite and I started pulling it back hard and finally got a fish, though I had to throw it back because I wasn’t going to eat it. After fishing, we went back and had some good food. Then we walked back to where the boats were docked. We saw two stingrays, two sharks and some huge fish the size of a TV. This trip was fun and I enjoyed it a lot and I hope someday I can go again.”
Mike Zimmer , Director-Marketing & Development for Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces, said, “ Comm. Heyman created memories for a lifetime.” and Captains Paola and Anthony Pupillo from Miami Yacht Tours said, “That was a perfect day for a great event. The expression on the kids’ faces catching their first fish was unforgettable. “
You know the saying…’It takes a village’…and it certainly took a ‘village’ of people to ensure everything would go smoothly. Working closely with Comm. Heyman and the AMC were Mike Zimmer, and David Cardenas, Deputy Director from Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Dept; Justin Robb, Haulover Park Manager; Danny Chocron, Kelley Fleet and Lady Mitchell; Captain Stan Saffan, Therapy IV; Tony and Paola Pupillo, Miami Yacht Tours and volunteers from Comm. Heyman’s office: Margie Amador, Bonnie Michaels, Alexis Moseley and Kevin Roque and Elaine Adler, Rosaide Gomez Arguelles and Eric Gavizon from the AMC. Esther Reynolds provided a great contact for a wonderful boxed luncheon from Alaska Coffee Roasting and Costco North Miami provided hundreds of water bottles.
Great day…great memories….great team of people working together…..and now the planning begins for the 2nd annual “Cops, Kids & Community…..Friendship Thru’ Fishing” !
