KANEOHE, Hawaii --
Over 100 children lined up along the shores of the
Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens, to cast fishing lines during the 18th Annual
Friends of Hickam Keiki Fishing Tournament in Kaneohe, Hawaii, May 31, 2017.
The catch-and-release tournament was free and open to the
children, aged 5-12, of Airmen stationed at Hickam Field.
“Our mission’s success is built upon the backs of our Airmen
and the sacrifices of their family members,” said Col. Cavan Craddock, 15th
Wing vice commander. “Let’s take a few
hours to show our families how much we appreciate them.”
Using bamboo sticks, the children fished a 600-yard section
of a pond stocked with small mouth bass, catfish, red devil fish, and tilapia. Afterwards, the fish caught were measured by a
volunteer team of fishing marshals comprised of volunteers from the Friends of
Hickam and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam personnel.
All the food, equipment and prizes were provided by the
hosts of the event, the Friends of Hickam, a community outreach group.
The tournament is a long-standing tradition that unites the Airmen
of the 15th Wing with the Friends of Hickam to build stronger
relationships between the base and the community.
“The Friends of Hickam’s mission is to provide public
support for the men and women assigned to the 15th Wing and its
tenant units,” said Nicole Darity, president of the Friends of Hickam. “We also
want to help improve the quality of life for the Airmen and build up
camaraderie between the community and the base.”
With the equipment provided by the Friends of Hickam,
participating members were focused on spending some quality time together as a
family.
At the end of the day, everyone one was fished out, but not
a single child walked away from their experience with empty hands. Every child
received a brand new fishing pole and goody-bags courtesy of the Friends of
Hickam.
“We understand how hard it is to constantly have to pick up
and relocate away from their families and friends,” said Darity. “This is our
way of extending our ‘ohana to the base.”