Kid’s fishing day still in need of $2,500

Funding for the kid’s fishing day at Gilchrist Pond is still on the rocks. County officials are searching for sponsors of the popular children’s fishing day in the spring.

The county’s annual children’s fishing day was notified in early October by the state they would lose approximately $2,500.

Those funds usually come from the state, which partially funds the fishing day.

County officials are knocking on doors for funding earlier this year in hopes of bridging the gap before the end of January.

Program leaders are trying to seek out new, potential sponsors for the event, said extension educator Janet Schmidt with the county’s WSU extension office.

This year’s program will not happen if they can’t come up with the money by January, said Schmidt.

The county parks department also aids with the day.

The state program, called the Fishin’ Kids Program, is run in 12 locations each year around the state, Schmidt said. All the programs saw cuts at the state level for the upcoming year.

More than 300 children came and caught trout at Gilchrist Pond last June. The parks department charges kids $5 to fish, from ages five to 14.

Children received a pole with bait and a T-shirt. The pond last year was stocked with 1,800 trout from a state hatchery outside Moses Lake. There were enough fish for three per child.

Schmidt said many families greatly enjoy the event and many children attend each year.

“Kids will hold it up and say, ‘See what I caught.’ Maybe it’s one fish, maybe it’s three fish. They’re just so proud of themselves,” she said.

Schmidt said event staff will continue to search out sponsors this month and next, but will cancel the program if they cannot raise the needed $2,500.