“You catch ‘em we cook ‘em!” is the slogan of the annual Baptist Retirement Community Fishing Extravaganza which took place on April 27. The free event is exclusively for residents, staff and their families, and took place at the Sagecrest Alzheimer’s Care Center & The Green House Homes at Sagecrest Courtyard, part of the Baptist Retirement Community (BRC) campus. Area chefs volunteered to fry the freshly caught fish. A special guest from the San Angelo Symphony performed music throughout the event. Baptist Retirement Community is incredibly grateful for all the volunteers who came together to make this event possible, because without them the event would not happen each year. BRC residents Edwin and Pat Forehand have been volunteering with the event since its inception eight years ago. Bridget Hinrichs, life enrichment coordinator at Sagecrest and the Green House Homes, started the event during her first year at BRC.
“April is celebrated as National Volunteer Month, and this event is the perfect example of what a huge difference volunteers can make in the lives of others,” said Hinrichs. “If we didn’t have the volunteers, we could not put this event on. This is a big event and we need all the help we can get. The Fishing Extravaganza is such a meaningful event, as it brings families together to create new memories. Some residents haven’t fished in 30 to 50 years, and others forget they knew how to fish until we put a rod in their hands. Once they get started, it’s really hard for them stop. We have some people who just keep fishing even though lunch is being served. They would rather enjoy their favorite pastime than eat. The event has grown every year since its start, and my hope is that one day it is as big as the local Spring Chicken Affair.”
Attendees fished from four large tanks full of catfish, and their catch was immediately cooked by the many volunteers from various organizations who dedicate their time and energy to making this event a success. Additional lunch options included hamburgers, homemade onion rings, hushpuppies, beans, coleslaw, and cobbler among other offerings. The fish are brought in from a gentleman who travels 24 hours by road with a truckload of two- to three-pound catfish that measure 21 inches long on average. The first year the Forehands volunteered, they signed up to help take the fish off the hooks, weigh them and measure them. Now, they volunteer to help put the worms on the hooks to bait them for fellow residents.
“I’ve been going fishing since I was a little girl,” said Pat Forehand. “The first time I went with my father he told me I would have to put my own worm on my hook if I wanted to go fishing with him, so I got used to doing that early on and it doesn’t bother me. Edwin has been fishing since he was a young boy as well, and he still has all his fishing tackle in case he wants to go to the river in town to fish. The Fishing Extravaganza brings back memories of all the times we used to go fishing, and I really enjoy watching other people reminisce with their family and friends during the event. It is a good feeling knowing that I am helping make this event possible, and it is lovely to see someone else enjoy an outing that they would otherwise not be able to do. Bridget does a wonderful job keeping residents living in Sagecrest and the Green House Homes entertained. You can tell she loves serving them and that it isn’t just a job for her.”
The couple moved to BRC 11 years ago in March and has been volunteering around BRC for several years. Edwin Forehand volunteers every Thursday afternoon to work an office desk where he cashes checks for residents and sells stamps. Pat Forehand volunteers to work a shift at the thrift shop every Monday morning and also devotes time to helping Hinrichs with arts and crafts for memory care residents on Thursday afternoons.
“Pat and I enjoy volunteer work because it keeps us young,” said Edwin Forehand. “I like to put myself in someone else’s shoes and think about how I would like to be treated or think about what might make my day brighter. The fishing event is really different, and you wouldn’t think everyone would get so into it, but boy does everyone get excited. It’s just good, old-fashioned relaxing fun. We love being a part of it.”
“This event is significant to me because of the joy that it brings to residents and their families,” said Hinrichs. “My job is make our residents’ time with us as meaningful as possible, and it’s not only my job to serve them, it’s my passion. I look out and see everyone enjoying the day without a care in the world, making new memories, laughing like little kids as they catch the fish. It’s so wonderful to see everyone so excited and to see those who are eager to earn their bragging rights. Even though the residents I work with live with memory impairments, they will still be talking about this event the next day. It’s our favorite event of the year!”