Reel Fun!

Rods at the ready, boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 16, enjoyed a day of fishing and fun on Saturday, April 21, at the 26th Annual Kids' Fishing Contest. Sponsored by the Hillsdale-based Friends of the Pascack Brook, the event, which this year drew about 250 attendees, took place between St. John's Roman Catholic Church in Hillsdale and Brookside Place in Westwood.

Adding to the fun, the Hillsdale Fire Department, located at 383 Hillsdale Avenue, hosted a free pancake breakfast from 6-11am. Volunteer firefighters fired up the stoves and doled out stacks of pancakes. “We’ve been doing this since the start; Fred Winkler and Neil Hering, two of the original founders of the Friends of the Pascack Brook program, were ex-chiefs,” said Peter Hard, president of the Hillsdale Fire Department Association.

Fueling up before setting off for the brook, Jack and Ella Ackermann, 10 and 12, respectively, were there with grandma Brenda Kirk and mom Cindy Kirk. The fifth year for Jack and Ella, they brought their friend Joseph Paretti, 9, for his first time. Ella and Jack both aimed to catch a “big fish and a big prize” but Joseph was most excited by “setting all the worms free so they could live.”

Others bypassed breakfast to head straight for the brook site.

"Look what I caught!" said one 12-year-old girl, clearly fishing for a compliment as she held up her catch.

Her brother, 9, was equally excited. “Mine’s bigger,” he boasted holding up his. Both were there with their dad and uncle, all Hillsdale residents. According to the dad, all four have been enjoying the event for 5 years, and always look forward to it as a “nice family outing.”

Nearby, the Difabio brothers Michael, 8, and Matthew, 5, who had come extra early to help stock the fish with their dad and uncle, were intently looking down at the water, silently wishing and waiting to hook at least one of the 500 trout that had been released that morning.

Many seeking a lunch break headed over to the Westwood Elks Lodge 1562 on Kinderkamack Road where volunteers like Tim Donaldson, Lodge secretary, welcomed community members to free hot dogs, burgers, salad and soda. “We have about 120 burgers, and even more hot dogs and we’ll be here until everything's all gone,” he said.

“It’s fun for us volunteers,” another Elks member added. “We love doing this community service. That’s what we’re all about — neighbors coming together, families sharing meals and watching our kids grow up healthy and happy.”

Happiness and pride were much in evidence as this year’s 150 participants took their club-tagged trout to be measured and recorded by judges between the contest hours of 8am-3pm at the old Hillsdale police booth located at the center of town. Starting at 3:15pm, dignitaries like Mayor of Hillsdale John Ruocco handed out trophies, prizes and awards, all of which were donated by area businesses and individuals.

The large crowd of parents and friends cheered and took photos. Most families were from Hillsdale, Westwood and other nearby towns, but some had come from as far as Florida.

“We’ve been doing this as a family for 15 years. We grew up here in Hillsdale and Harrington Park and it became something I started doing with my niece and nephew. We always enjoyed coming to this event. So when we moved to Palm Coast, Florida, we promised we’d always come back and keep doing it as a family,” said Brian Scott.

“It’s like Christmas! It’s the only time I get to see my family here and get to have fun with them,” said Brian’s niece, Avery Churuti, 7.

“It’s a great family reunion and like we never left. I love it. It’s a fun bonding experience where now the older kids get to help the little ones,” said Scianna Scott, 14, Avery’s cousin and Brian’s daughter.

“Creating lasting bonds and memories is what it’s all about,” said John Hering, president of Friends of the Pascack Brook. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s so worthwhile. It shows how strong we are as a community of caring people who volunteer their time and resources. I especially want to thank Friends members for their efforts in making this such a successful event every year. Bringing joy to so many kids and families, and getting them connected to Nature and their communities is why we do this and will continue to do it!”