Fishing Derby group from 2024

A staple event is coming back this Sunday, following the Bell Tower Festival in Jefferson.

Greene County Conservation Director Tanner Scheuermann says the Free Kids Fishing Derby will be taking place at Spring Lake Park on Sunday from 9am-noon. He notes that there are three age divisions including 4-9, 10-12 and 13-15 year olds competing against each other. Scheuermann explains that community donations are collected every year with Butch Ganoe spearheading that effort for several years and now Jeremiah Goughnour is leading the fundraiser. He is grateful for those donations as he describes something that each participant receives before the event starts on Sunday.

“What’s that turned into is every kid, every year has been able to get a free fishing pole as a door prize. When people show up for a door prize, they think, ‘Oh great I’m going to get a sticker.’ Oh no, we give them a full on fishing pole.”

Scheuermann points out that each kid will also receive a ticket that will be entered into a raffle drawing for bigger prize packages. He adds that for every fish a kid catches, they will receive a ticket to increase their chances of winning the prizes. No pre-registration is required for this free event.