06/10/2026
🎣 **The Bloomfield Sportsman’s Club Kids Fishing Derby Was a HUGE Success!** 🎣
Thanks to the incredible support of our sponsors, volunteers, donors, and community members, the event raised nearly **$22,000**—almost enough to cover the cost of the entire pavilion project!
First and foremost, **congratulations to all of our derby winners!** Whether you took home a trophy, a prize, a bicycle, or simply enjoyed a day of fishing with family and friends, we hope you had an unforgettable experience. Seeing so many kids excited about fishing and the outdoors is what this event is all about.
There are so many people to thank for making this event possible. While I'm sure there are a few names I may have missed, please know that every contribution, big or small, played a part in making this day such an incredible success.
A very special thank you to **Artus unlimited llc** for their extremely generous support. Their contributions helped purchase the fishing equipment we gave away throughout the day and fully funded the kids' prize pool of **$2,250!**
We would also like to thank the **Geneva Lake Womens Association** for their significant contribution toward purchasing fishing equipment for the kids.
A huge thank you goes to **Bobbie Jo** for the countless hours she spent helping organize, prepare, and coordinate the event. Simply put, this event would not have been possible without her dedication and hard work.
A very special thank you to The Camo Kid, who took on the enormous task of getting more than 160 fishing rods ready for the kids to use. Anyone who has ever prepared fishing equipment knows what a massive undertaking that is, and the derby simply would not have run as smoothly without all of that hard work behind the scenes.
Thank you to **Tory Schutte and his grill crew** for purchasing and serving the delicious tacos that everyone enjoyed throughout the day.
Thank you to **Trinity Church** for providing the bounce house, serving food, and sharing their kindness with all who attended. It was wonderful having them as part of the event.
Thank you to **Alyssa and her team at Pookie's Sunset Saloon** for their incredible support of the event. They organized the outstanding meat raffle, ran the lemonade stand and generously donated all proceeds back to the club, and also led the effort in collecting bicycles for the giveaway—providing more bikes than anyone else. Their generosity and hard work helped make the day extra special for so many kids.
Thank you to **Josh Spooner at Spoondogger's Pell Lake** for providing the pulled pork—it was a crowd favorite, as always!
A special thank you to Lexi at Little Mountain Art for the incredible face painting throughout the day. The designs were amazing, and the kids absolutely loved it! 🎨❤️
We would also like to recognize the many other volunteers, sponsors, and supporters who helped make this event such a tremendous success. In no particular order, thank you to:
**Mike Artus, Shannon Artus, Jen Wise, Joe Liszek, Ariel Cruetz, Dan Roanhaus, the entire Trinity Church crew, FAFO Fishing and their crew, Billy & Sarah Combs, Alyssa & Derrike Skinner, Melissa Slawson, Travis Sullivan, Erika & Dante, Grace Patyk, Tory & Brenda Schutte, Eric Twardy, Casey Juszczyk, Michelle Twardy, and Christine Walkey for capturing photos throughout the event.**
Most importantly, thank you to everyone who attended, purchased raffle tickets, donated prizes, donated bicycles, made monetary contributions, volunteered their time, or supported the event in any way. Your generosity is what made this day such a memorable experience for the kids and such a successful fundraiser for the Bloomfield Sportsman’s Club.
And of course, a special thank you to Rita—we love you and appreciate everything you do for the club! ❤️
Because of all of you, we were able to create a day filled with fishing, food, prizes, laughter, and memories that these kids will carry with them for years to come.
We are incredibly grateful for this amazing community and look forward to making next year's Kids Fishing Derby even bigger and better!
**Thank you all for helping make a difference and for investing in the next generation of anglers and outdoor enthusiasts!** ❤️🎣
