The Leavenworth Road Association is prepared for its annual free kids’ fishing derby Saturday morning, June 11, at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road, according to Lou Braswell, executive director.
The Ed and Ione Trapp Kids’ Free Fishing Derby is sponsored by the Leavenworth Road Association with the Unified Government Parks and Recreation Department. Trapp was a firefighter who started the fishing derby in 1985, Braswell said.
The event is for children ages 3 to 15. Children up to age 13 are required to have an adult with them.
The annual event begins with registration at 7 a.m. Saturday at the kids’ pond at the lake, with the fishing derby from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., she said. Volunteers are ready with 250 goodie bags already prepared for kids, containing little items such as a coupon for ice cream, another for chicken, as well as pencils, pens and a toothbrush.
The kids each will receive a free hot dog, and a snack bar will be set up with other snacks available for purchase. Water has been donated and will be provided free.
The kids’ pond has been stocked with fish for the event, and kids are encouraged to bring their own fishing poles, if they have one, she added. Bait was donated by a local bait store.
Kids participating in the derby need to have their fish weighed by 10:15 a.m. to be eligible for trophies, she added.
Volunteers will handle cooking and other tasks for the fishing derby, she said. She’s hoping some firefighters will help hand out trophies. About 20 donations have been received from local businesses and residents for the event, she added.
Besides trophies for first, second and third place in each age group, kids also can win gift certificates to a local store for first through third places. There is a $25 gift certificate for the largest fish.