SULPHUR, Okla. — A recurring problem at the Camp Cavett annual kids fishing derby has been solved by the Sooner Bassmasters club.
“Inevitably, every year they don’t have enough life jackets for all of the kids,” said Chuck Boso, Sooner Bassmasters president. “So they end up borrowing them from the anglers, and sometimes the life jackets get lost.”
Camp Cavett is a summer camp that offers outdoor experiences to children who are undergoing treatments for life-threatening illnesses such as heart disease, cancer and sickle cell anemia.
During last year’s fishing derby, camp founder Danny Cavett told Boso the shortage of life jackets would continue to be a problem unless the camp received a huge donation. Boso told Cavett his club would take care of the problem.
“So I and a couple of the other members started putting our noses to the ground and decided to go get a tournament permit for Arbuckle Lake,” said Boso.
The club held a tournament June 2 with no entry fee, but each team was required to bring two new life jackets that were donated to Camp Cavett. Nineteen teams competed for cash and prizes donated to the tournament by local businesses.
More than 80 life jackets were collected from the tournament competitors and outside donations. “I was afraid we were going to get a truckload of the orange life jackets, but the guys were really good about giving us a wide variety from smaller youth sizes to adult sizes,” said Boso.
Boso said he is unsure if his club will have the same tournament format next year because the camp might have enough life preservers now. He is working on other ways his clubs can help fill the camp's other needs.