Staff writer
For the third year in a row, many Parkside Homes residents have had the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors and go fishing.
Residents are taken each Thursday to the farm of Kevin Jost.
Parkside’s director of life enrichment, Penni Funk, said that “some of the residents fish, some just sit and read a book, and some just sit and let the wind blow on them. It’s just a good time to get out and enjoy the fresh air.”
The first fishing day this year was June 2, and Funk said the fish were not cooperating.
“Not one fish was biting,” she said, “so we rode out to the reservoir instead to watch water come out of spillways.”
Fish were biting like crazy this past Thursday, and Funk said at least 30 were caught.
“Most of them were really small,” Funk said, “but we had one lady catch a 2 to 3 pound bass so that made her day.”
Virginia Campbell, who caught the bass, was excited about her catch of the day.
“I latched onto the bass and got it in all by myself,” she said. “I was catching the little blue gills and I thought I’d like to catch something bigger, and I did.”
Campbell is no stranger to fishing, having been fishing for 50 years.
“When I was younger, I’d have a weekend off and then I’d go,” Campbell said. “Now that I’m getting older, camping is out of the question.”
Campbell reminisced about a memorable fishing trip her family once took.
“There was one time we were living down in Arkansas, and we were getting ready to go fishing,” she said. “I was expecting my youngest son, and instead of going fishing, we went to the hospital and my son was born. So I got a big fish out of that.”
Campbell had advice for those who want to take up fishing for themselves.
“Just go and enjoy yourself,” she said. “If you like the outdoors, then go and have fun.”