C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation was formed in 1991 to provide disabled and disadvantaged children the opportunity to enjoy a quality outdoor recreational experience through fishing. C.A.S.T. takes over 12,000 special needs children out on the water for a day of fun and fishing each year; an activity that most would not experience otherwise. Each event provides all the children rods, reels, tackle boxes, tackle, t-shirts & hats. All for them to keep! The children are paired with their parent and an angler to head out on the water for a morning of fishing. Upon return, everyone is treated to a lunch and each child is awarded a plaque with a photo of themselves and their captain as a memento. One grandparent of a girl with Holoprosencephaly told us, her granddaughter was so relaxed while fishing, that she took her shoes off and threw her socks into the lake! P>Parents, volunteers, and community members witness the capabilities of local special needs populations, while simultaneously promoting outdoor recreation. "C.A.S.T. for Kids supports leisure involvement and mastery in a motivating and socially stimulating task and environment. The ability for a child to learn a new skill and have a sense of achievement is some of the best therapy that a child can receive. It can help to open the doorway to many other skill sets and mastery throughout a child's activities of daily living as it promotes self-esteem and confidence through new learning paths and social acceptance." Rosie, Occupational Therapist.
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