GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A West Michigan summer camp is teaching kids valuable life skills through fishing.
Grand Rapids native Kiki Hudson has seen the benefits of fishing firsthand.
“Tranquility, peace. You can have a bad day and come sit by the water and everything changes,” she said. “I have people my age who have never been fishing before, and I’m like, ‘What?’”
Growing up, she would fish with her stepdad. Now, she goes with her husband and five children. Her passion sparked an idea to get others interested.
“Our family of seven, we get out there on the water all the time. And I’m like, one day we should teach fishing to the kids in the community,” Hudson said.
Hudson’s Fishing Camp is now in its third year. It’s a summer program allowing children ages 6 to 18 to learn the basics of catching, cleaning and cooking fish at no cost. The program started with inner-city kids, but has since branched out. At the end of camp, participants get to take home fishing gear.
“We’re at Johnson Park (in Walker), we go downtown to Sixth Street Park (in Grand Rapids), we go to Versluis (Park in Plainfield Township),” Hudson listed. “We go to various locations to let you know fishing is in your backyard.”
Currently, the program can take 30 children.
Some of them were along the Grand River near Grandville on Thursday. Campers say they’ve enjoyed the wonders of the outdoors and they’ve certainly brushed up on their fishing skills.
“I did not know how to tie a hook before I did this camp the first year and now I do,” participant Calvin Coeling said.
“I’ve been enjoying myself a lot. I think my favorite part is catching a fish,” added another camper, Amias Ippel.
Hudson wants young people to know that fishing can provide food or income, but it’s also about other lessons they can carry through life.
“We want them to know that they can be teachers. You can teach me something. I’m not ‘Ms. Know It All.’ I’m still learning and growing, but we all are learning and growing together,” Hudson said.
Seeing youth get hooked on a new skill is what’s most exciting for organizers.
“To see their faces light up after catching a fish, it’s like Christmas,” Hudson said.
Hudson says her camp is searching for more volunteers with fishing skills, especially fly fishermen. The best way to reach out is via the group’s Facebook page. The community can also help the camp through donations via GoFundMe or by attending a fish fry at Sixth Street Park from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 28.
