A catch of a lifetime: Special needs effort inspires new young anglers in Seguin

(Seguin) - This past weekend was a weekend of smiles, first catches, and unforgettable moments. Dozens of families came together as the C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation hosted a special event celebrating children with special needs and the outdoors.

The local C.A.S.T. for Kids event -- led by local Coordinator April Bustamante -- welcomed 40 families and a number of volunteers for a day centered on inclusion, recreation, and community connection. Children and their families spent the morning fishing alongside volunteers who dedicated their time to ensure each participant had a memorable experience.

Bustamante says the overwhelming support from the community is what helped make the event possible and meaningful.

"Gosh, really, I have no words for how Saturday came together. It was amazing -- an amazing turnout. Families enjoyed themselves. Kids, there was a lot of laughter. It was just amazing and a great experience for the community, especially for our kids with special needs," said Bustamante.

The strong turnout reflected months of planning as well as a desire to "bring more inclusive opportunities to the area." Bustamante, who attended a similar event in Rockport last year with her son Christopher, says she was inspired to bring the event to Seguin.

After returning home, she says she quickly connected with Seguin ISD's outdoor learning center and began organizing the event. She says just within just a few days, enough sponsorships were secured to cover the full cost. She says a large part of that was thanks to 8-year-old Christopher, who helped raise much of the dollars himself.

That day, participants and families left behind some words of heartfelt thanks and appreciation. Some described their child catching their first fish. Others thanked a firefighter who assisted with one of the anglers. One parent event reflected on the simple but powerful experience of "hearing laughter as their child enjoyed fishing for the first time."

The event included lunch and an awards ceremony where the kids received recognition, including fun fishing gear.

Bustamante says keeping the event free will be a key part of its mission and hopes to already lock down sponsorships for next year.

"Yes, we will continue to do this once a year or in the spring. The goal is to start looking for fundraising sponsorships throughout the year to complete that goal that we need to meet, to get everything paid for -- for these participants because everything is free. The pole, the tackle box, bait, shirts, caps, awards, plaques, all of it is all included. So, we want the families just to come out and have a good time and not have to worry about spending anything because we know that having children with special needs -- it's hard financially. So, we want to give them that opportunity to come out and enjoy the day," said Bustamante.

The C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation is a national nonprofit, which hosts similar events across the country, "all aimed at enriching the lives of children with special needs through the sport of fishing."

Bustamante's aim at bringing a quality of life to children with special needs is no surprise as it also reflects in her leadership a few years ago to establish the Seguin Little League's Challenger League.

In this case, she says the event provided another rare opportunity - an opportunity to experience fishing.

"It was a chance of a lifetime for them. They don't get that opportunity very often, if ever," said Bustamante.

To help fund next year's fishing event contact Bustamante or visit castforkids.org. Be sure to specify that your donation be applied to the Irma Lewis Outdoor Learning Center- C.A.S.T. for Kids in Seguin.