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Inner city kids fishing for confidence
(by Karen F. Mrnarevic - August 06, 2008)
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Staff Photo by Karen F. Mrnarevic
Kristen Fallon of Park Ridge Girl Scout Troop 200 (left) with a volunteer and two children from the Jubilee Center of Hoboken, an after school and summer safe haven for children living in the city’s housing projects. Kristen organized a fishing day at Wood Dale Park for 55 children from the center as part of her Gold Award project.
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After months of preparation, recruiting volunteers, soliciting donations and coordinating efforts with other organizations and local businesses, on Thursday, July 31, 16-year-old Park Ridge High School Senior Kristin Fallon got to see the fruits of her labor – or rather the fish of her labor. Kristen and two other members of Park Ridge Girl Scout Troop 200, Ali Glasner and Carlee Griffeth, in pursuit of their Gold Awards, have been working for months to benefit the Jubilee Center of Hoboken, an after school and summer safe haven, and the children who rely on it.
It was a hot, muggy, brilliantly sunny day in Park Ridge’s Wood Dale Park, and 55 children from the
Jubilee
Center were set to arrive by bus for a day of fun in the sun, including a fishing tournament and a barbecue. There was only one problem. The children and their 10 chaperones were supposed to have arrived at 10 a.m., but at 10:30, there was still no sign of them. The bus driver had gotten lost en route from
Hoboken , and the clock was ticking.
To everyone’s relief, the bus finally arrived at 11 a.m., and Kristin and her 30 volunteers, including adults and numerous classmates, set to work organizing groups to attach worms to hooks and pass out fishing rods to each of the children. Then they assembled on the shore of the lake, and before long, everyone was casting and reeling. By the end of the day, Kristen says, most of the kids, half of whom had never fished before, had caught at least one fish.
After fishing, the children and volunteers were treated to a barbecue, where hotdogs and chips were served; there was no fish on the menu. Trophies were given to the child who caught the largest fish and the child who caught the most fish. The winner of the latter caught a whopping five fish. Every child was given a medal and a goody bag to bring home.
“The kids had a great time,” says Kristen. “It was an extremely rewarding experience and, I hope, a day they will remember.”
The
Jubilee
Center was founded in 2003 as a safe haven for children in
Hoboken ’s public housing projects, which provides free after school and summer programs for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. In addition to keeping the kids off the streets, the center offers academic assistance, arts instruction, nutritious meals, health and wellness programming, and field trips.
Funding for the center comes from private donors and government grants, and in addition to a staff of 10, the center also has over 40 volunteers. Ali had volunteered at the center in the past with members of her church, refurbishing computers, and clued Kristen and Carlee in on the great work the center does, as well as the work that needed to be done to improve conditions at the center.
“When we first visited the center we found it had many needs,” says Kristen. “They needed many supplies, and they also were looking for field trips for the children.” Ali is currently in the process of refurbishing the center’s art room, and Carlee is collecting books and establishing a reading program for the children there.
Kristen focused on getting the kids out of the city for the day, allowing them to experience nature, relax and take in some fresh air. “I first came upon the idea of holding a fishing derby for the kids after volunteering for the Bergen Bassmasters annual fishing outing for the disabled,” Kristen says. “It's their one day of the year to get out in the country by the lake, catch some fish and have fun.”
She enlisted the help of Brian Mahoney of the Bergen Bassmaster Organization, who became her mentor on the project. Mahoney not only shared his fishing expertise with Kristen, he also donated all of the fishing supplies used on the day of the tournament.
Kristen and the other members of her troop raised all the money for the event, holding bake sales and setting up a booth at the Park Ridge town picnic, to raise both funds, as well as awareness for the
Jubilee
Center . Kristen also solicit donations from A&P, and ShopRite. She put all of the money raised toward the fishing day and a craft activity that she did with the children from the center a week before the event to get them geared up for fishing.
“Planning this trip was a lot of work, time, and energy, but it was definitely worth it,” says Kristen. She was obviously touched by the experience. “It was a great feeling seeing them fishing around the lake and knowing that I was responsible for bringing them there and making their day as fun as it could be.”
For more information about the
Jubilee
Center , how to donate and volunteer opportunities, visit www.jubileecenterhoboken.org.
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