|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Reese Walker, a 12-year-old with a “lifetime” of angling experience, stunned the fishing world by capturing the recent Kiwanis Club of Homestead-South Dade’s 40th annual Dolphin Days Family Fishing Tournament.
Walker, a junior at Arvida Middle School in Kendall — where he made the Principal’s Honor Roll as he has done since elementary school — took home the first-place prize of $3,500 and another $100 for winning the Junior Angler division. The boat he was on, All In — skippered by his father Michael Walker — won the prestigious Bucket of Bucks for total weight caught (220 pounds) for $765.
The junior Walker, who had wait to anxiously for nearly 40 minutes (for other entries to
dock and weigh-in) to see if his 14.0-pound catch would hold up for first place, was relieved when he was declared the winner.
“Wow, this is just great,” the young angler said, wearing a relieved look along with a huge smile. “Winning a tournament like this is all about experience and how good the day is. The hardest part of the day was waiting.”
And the 12-year-old — who intends on putting his prize money towards the purchase of his own boat — has been fishing since he was age 4. This year marked the sixth time he has entered the Dolphin Days event, which is co-sponsored by the Military Affairs Council.
Other division winners included Brandon Wilcox, Jr. (Pee Wee Angler and Non-Dolphin category), and Maria Velazquez (Female Angler).
The 40th annual Dolphin Days Fishing Tournament began two days before the actual fishing competition with the Captains Party kick-off event in the Champions Club at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. The evening featured Miami Heat mascot Burnie (and the Heat Dancers), a wide variety of silent auction items (a five-day night-night vacation at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic was again the most popular item) and the Kiwanis Club’s presentation of college scholarships to high school seniors.
“The success of this event is due to hard working individuals from Kiwanis, the MAC and people throughout our community,” said event chair Erica Avila. “This has truly grown to become one of the premier events in the Homestead-South Dade area.”
For more information on the Kiwanis Club of Homestead-South Dade, including volunteering and membership, phone (305) 775-6575.
Miami Heat mascot Burnie—along with the Miami Heat Dancers—were the hit of the Captains Party.
ABOUT US:
For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area.
This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. Each online publication and print editions provide comprehensive coverage of local news, events, business updates, lifestyle features, and local initiatives within its respective community.
Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami’s culture. Whether you’re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami’s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https://communitynewspapers.com.
If you have any questions, feel free to email Michael@communitynewspapers.com or Grant@communitynewspapers.com.
