Thank you to everyone who made the 2026 Kids Fishing Derby a success!
More than 240 students participated in the fishing derby, joined by over 140 teachers, aides, bus drivers, parents, and Auglaize County DD staff.
Another 60+ volunteers helped made the day possible, representing the Lake Improvement Association, Grand Lake Recreation Club, South Shore Sportsman Club, Cousins Youth Outdoor Development Group, State Park VIPs, park rangers, and the St. Marys Police Department.
A huge thank-you to the many businesses and individuals who donated food, supplies, and their time, including Eckrich for providing more than 500 hot dogs, Lewis Bakery for the buns, Pantry Pride and Todd Sullivan for arranging all the food, supplies, and beverages, and Villa Nova Drive Thru for the use of coolers and providing ice.
Special thanks to Kara Birt at the State Park Office for coordinating with the participating schools, and to Dave Faler and the entire state park staff for getting the shelter house area ready despite all the rain leading up to the event. We also want to thank Dave Meyer, Miles Strand, and Wes Prostman for all their help with setup.
The day also included the ribbon cutting for the new All Abilities Playground, with many of the project’s donors in attendance along with Ohio State Parks Chief Glen Cobb.
Thank you to all of the amazing people who worked to make this day a huge success for the kids!