Taking the bait

By Staff
Angler to hold Fishing for Kids Saturday
Melissa Cason
This weekend special needs children will get the opportunity to fish like a pro when Timmy Horton hosts his annual Fishing for Kids event in Florence.
The event will be held at McFarland Park and will begin at 9 a.m. Special needs children are paired up with adult volunteers and they go out to see who gets the big one.
"It is a special day for the kids and for the volunteers as well," volunteer Pam Ergle said. "My husband and I have been participating for a few years."
The event started in 1997 when Timmy Horton started taking children fishing free of charge, but the first tournament was held in 1999. Since then, over 700 children have participated in the event.
"Some of these kids have never been fishing before, and they don't really know what to do, and they get so excited about trying to get the big trophy," Ergle said.
Horton said he gets as much enjoyment out of the event as the kids and they are the reason for the event.
"I get so much more out of Fishing for Kids than I do anything else in the sport," Horton said.
I get more enjoyment out of Fishing for Kids than anything I do in the sport", said Horton.