BRINGING FAMILIES TOGETHER
Bob Garriques Memorial
Kiwanis started the Fishing Derby to provide an activity that families can participate in together, talk with each other, enjoy nature and learn a lifelong leisure sport.
Kiwanis Annual Kids Fishing Derby
Each year the Kiwanis Club of Southeast Volusia hosts this FREE community event for kids and their parents. This event is partially self-funded by selling advertisements on the t-shirts which we give the kids for free. Monies raised by the club through fundraisers throughout the year also help cover the remaining costs for this very popular event.
All kids in the community between the ages of 4 to 14 are invited to gather at Riverside Park to display their fishing skills. Participants must bring their own tackle, but the Kiwanis Club furnishes plenty of bait. The festivities continue with an old fashioned hot dog cookout for all the kids and their parents. Prizes and trophies are then awarded in 3 different ages groups. Winners from each age group are given trophies for fish in three categories – most fish, biggest fish, and smallest fish.
The fishing derby has grown in popularity over the many years. Teams of Kiwanians register the kids, give out t-shirts, distribute bait, measure and record each fish, cook and distribute the food, tabulate the results and give out trophies. We average about 250 – 300 kids. The event was named as the Bob Garriques’ Memorial to honor the memory of one of our long-time members.
The Kiwanis Club’s mission is to raise funds for the benefit of the community’s youth. This event is just one of the ways we are able to reach these children, with no charge to their families. All of the fish that are caught are returned quickly to the water.
Join the Fun!
The Fishing Derby normally takes place in November, but the 2020 Derby was cancelled due to the coronavirus. When we restart the event it will be from 8:00 AM to Noon, followed by a light lunch and an Awards Ceremony for the trophy winners. Plan to arrive between 7:30 AM and 8:00 AM to register and pick out a good fishing spot. The Derby is held at RIverside Park, next to the Brannon Center on South Riverside Drive in New Smyrna Beach.
Just look for the pavillion south of the Brannon Center with the Kiwanis banner and get ready to catch some fish!