Seventeen visually-impaired members of the Rowan Ramblers club and 11 sighted volunteers participated in the 25th annual Visually Impaired Persons Fishing Tournament at the Outer Banks in mid-October.
Members of the Rowan Ramblers participating in the tournament, which took place from Oct. 13 to 17, were Buddy Craig, Karen Foster, Darlene McElroy, Dot Blair, Jesse Smith, Sharon Weddington, Bernie Bernardi, Loretta Freeman-Hills, Cathy Goodnight, Marian Hargrave, Trey Morton, Anna Parker, Elizabeth Parker, Jenny Pickler, Don Srail, June Vanhoy and Betty Wensil.
The Ramblers fished off of the Nags Head Pier, and Loretta Freeman-Hills grabbed second place on the pier with 17 fish weighing 4.9 pounds. This was the first time she had ever caught a fish, according to Renita Ritchie, supervisor of the Rowan County Parks and Recreation Department’s Therapeutic Recreation Division.
June Vanhoy, representing North Carolina due to his win last year, participated in the National Fishing Tournament and won against nine other fishermen from South Carolina, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Canada.
The District 31-J Lions Clubs from the Outer Banks area hosted the VIP Fishing Tournament, and the N.C. Lions Council and many local businesses provided sponsorships.
Competitors fish from boats and piers, which charge a reduced rate for the tournament.
The Rowan Ramblers are blind and visually-impaired residents of Rowan County, organized through the county Therapeutic Recreation Division.
Ritchie organized the trip and accompanied the group to the tournament. Travel expenses were donated by the Rockwell, Salisbury, Cleveland and Landis Lions Clubs and the Rockwell Amvets Post 845.
Coy Ritchie donated the use of his eight-passenger van and accompanied the group as a volunteer.