Reel Connections for Kids

03/24/2026

Thank you to all of our wonderful supporters!!

SML Gives Day 2026, the annual 24-hour online giving day event aimed at supporting the local nonprofit sector, wrapped up its annual online giving day and in-person nonprofit fair on

03/19/2026

Because of your generosity, young lives are being changed—thank you being a part of this! 🎣

03/19/2026

SML GIVES such an awesome day for SML non-profits! You can still donate until midnight! God Bless!

03/17/2026

Our Motivation: 15.9% of children in Franklin County and 12% of children in Bedford County are living below the poverty level. Families struggle to make ends meet and put nutritious food on the table. Across the country in 2022, there was a 2.1 million loss of children...

03/16/2026

Early giving starts today! Help us create memorable fishing experiences for deserving kids!

https://www.smlgives.org/organization/Reel-Connections-For-Kids?fbclid=IwdGRjcAQkx8hleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeFILxt_eH53ziFdQFUmpDbl__Mcp1RCmkeJQtKmWF5M3Yf9WOsSYJVfzp3mU_aem_-hve3LB1yruo4zfMSBRpig

Our Motivation: 15.9% of children in Franklin County and 12% of children in Bedford County are living below the poverty level. Families struggle to make ends meet and put nutritious food on the table. Across the country in 2022, there was a 2.1 million loss of children...

03/14/2026

SML Gives Day 2026: Featured Organization
Reel Connections for Kids, Inc.

Did you know that introducing a child to fishing before age 12 is the key to keeping them active in the outdoors for life?
Reel Connections for Kids (RCK) is on a mission to ensure that every child regardless of their background or access to equipment can experience the magic of Smith Mountain Lake.

We are proud to feature them as one of our 50 local nonprofits for SML Gives Day 2026!

RCK bridges the gap for underserved youth by providing the gear, the mentors, and the hands on experience needed to become confident anglers and stewards of our waters.

Their "Take a Kid Fishing Day" is a community highlight where children spend a morning on the lake with professional guides. Each child goes home with their own new fishing rod, a tackle box, and most importantly a cooler of fresh fish they caught themselves to help put dinner on their family's table!

For SML Gives Day, RCK has a goal of $8,000 to expand their impact. These funds will help provide scholarships for conservation education, lifetime fishing licenses for youth, and specialized equipment for anglers with disabilities.
Your gift helps a local child trade a screen for a rod and reel, building a lifelong connection to our beautiful lake.

Be sure to find all your favorite organizations and help them share their missions, tell their stories, and raise the funds needed to keep our community thriving.

Let’s show up big for SML Gives Day 2026!
https://www.smlgives.org/organization/Reel-Connections-For-Kids
Follow them on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089212864299

03/12/2026

Thank you friends for making what we do possible!

SML Gives Day 2026: Featured Organization
Reel Connections for Kids, Inc.

Did you know that introducing a child to fishing before age 12 is the key to keeping them active in the outdoors for life?
Reel Connections for Kids (RCK) is on a mission to ensure that every child regardless of their background or access to equipment can experience the magic of Smith Mountain Lake.

We are proud to feature them as one of our 50 local nonprofits for SML Gives Day 2026!

RCK bridges the gap for underserved youth by providing the gear, the mentors, and the hands on experience needed to become confident anglers and stewards of our waters.

Their "Take a Kid Fishing Day" is a community highlight where children spend a morning on the lake with professional guides. Each child goes home with their own new fishing rod, a tackle box, and most importantly a cooler of fresh fish they caught themselves to help put dinner on their family's table!

For SML Gives Day, RCK has a goal of $8,000 to expand their impact. These funds will help provide scholarships for conservation education, lifetime fishing licenses for youth, and specialized equipment for anglers with disabilities.
Your gift helps a local child trade a screen for a rod and reel, building a lifelong connection to our beautiful lake.

Be sure to find all your favorite organizations and help them share their missions, tell their stories, and raise the funds needed to keep our community thriving.

Let’s show up big for SML Gives Day 2026!
https://www.smlgives.org/organization/Reel-Connections-For-Kids
Follow them on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089212864299

03/08/2026

🎉 Happy 60th birthday, Smith Mountain Lake!

On March 7, 1966, the lake officially reached full pond, transforming farmland, forests and river valleys into the 22,000-acre destination we know and love today.

To celebrate this milestone year, the new issue of SML Insiders includes a decade-by-decade timeline tracing the people, places and milestones that shaped the lake we cherish today.

Explore the timeline and discover how Smith Mountain Lake has evolved over the past 60 years. 👉 smith-mountain-lake.com/sml-history/timeline/
Find it in the new issue or read online at the link in the comments.

💬 We’d love to hear from you:
What is your first or favorite memory at Smith Mountain Lake? Drop it in the comments below!

📷: Bryce Scott, Imagery, LLC

Visit Smith Mountain Lake Virginia's Blue Ridge Bedford Virginia Franklin County, Virginia

03/07/2026

MONETA, Va. (WFXR) — In an age when digital diversions are an issue, creating deep family bonds can sometimes be difficult. But, there is a unique group and program that encourages kids to pu…

10/24/2025

We have updated our logo!