AUBURN, Calif. — As he has done the past two years, Skeet Reese, the winner of the recent Bassmaster Elite Series West Point Battle, hosted his kids fishing day event in his home community of Meadow Vista, Calif.
For Reese himself, the motivation to host the day is much more personal. "I've always said that I wanted to be able to share my love of fishing with kids," said Reese, the father of two daughters. "To hear about all of the first fish being caught out of that pond really chokes me up; it really makes the whole day to see that smile on one kids' face. That was enough for me, but, with everything included, this was a really great event."
With that mission at the core, the event hosted more than 300 kids catching some of the more than 2,000 rainbow trout planted by the California Department of Wildlife at the pond on snelled Eagle Claw Baitholder Hooks tipped with Berkley PowerBait. When they weren't fishing, the kids and the more than 2,000 attendees to the event as a whole had other activities to participate in, including playing with the mini basketballs provided by Dick's Sporting Goods for each child.
Those activities, thanks to the efforts of Reese's wife, Kim, and the rest of the volunteers, included breakfast by the Meadow Vista Lions Club, food and coffee vendors, bounce houses, face painting booths, a display of Cross Fit workouts, a dog show, Gamez on Wheelz, a concert by Sacramento area girls group Sweet Addiction and a custom car show put on by Mark Barbier at Meadow Vista Tru Value and TNT Automotive in Meadow Vista.
Reese said he is proud of the event and thankful to everyone who helps put it on. "Starting with my wife Kim and all of our friends; they work really hard to organize this event on while I'm competing on the Bassmaster Elite Series," he said. "Then to see all of the community come out in support of the Community Center is really humbling. It was another great day, and I can't thank my family, friends, sponsors and volunteers enough for everything."
With the tally of all monies raised, the Reeses will be presenting a donation to the community in excess of $6,500.