Free events in Madison and Beloit introduce young anglers to fishing, family traditions, and the union spirit of community service.
WISCONSIN –On a Saturday that began with rain forecasts, Wisconsin families instead found sunshine, fishing rods, and a welcoming community of union volunteers eager to help the next generation discover the fun of fishing.
The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA), in partnership with the Building and Construction Trades Councils (BCTC) of South Central Wisconsin and Southern Wisconsin, hosted free Take Kids Fishing Day events on June 7 at Vilas Park in Madison and Riverside Park in Beloit. Together, the events brought union members, union retirees, community leaders, and families together for a day centered on fishing, mentorship, and outdoor recreation.
For many of the children who attended, it was their first opportunity to experience fishing.
Participants received free fishing rods and reels, tackle, backpacks, and other outdoor gear before heading to the water. Volunteers served lunch and helped young anglers bait hooks, cast lines, and untangle the occasional snag.
In Madison, volunteer support reached another level. Approximately 45 union volunteers representing sheet metal workers, electricians, plumbers, roofers, ironworkers, laborers, and other trades helped run the event.
“It was a reminder to me that it’s not just about fishing but bringing families together,” said Tracey Griffith, executive director of the BCTC of South Central Wisconsin. “It’s great outreach for the unions to let the community know who we are.”
“I had parents who told us that this is something they can’t always do with their kids,” Griffith said. “That really hits home. It teaches patience and mentoring. We told people we don’t just build roads and buildings; we help build communities.”
That same spirit was on display about 50 miles south in Beloit, where attendance climbed from 67 participants last year to 93 this year.
For Garrik Harwick, president of the Southern Wisconsin BCTC, the turnout confirmed that the event continues to fill an important need in the community.
“People were very excited and didn’t realize everything was going to be free—even the food,” Harwick said.
At Riverside Park, children ranging from preschool age through high school spread out along a lagoon and nearby river in search of fish. The day’s catch included bass and bluegill, but organizers measured success by much more than the number of fish landed.
“Beloit can be an economically challenged town, so having that free lunch and free rod and reel is huge for a lot of kids,” Harwick said.
The event opened with a rush of excitement as 56 participants arrived within the first 10 minutes. “We knew right away it was going to be a good day,” Harwick said.
More than 15 volunteers, including union plumbers, boilermakers, roofers and a few retirees, helped families throughout the event. Local elected officials, including Wisconsin State Assembly members Anne Roe and Clinton Anderson and State Sen. Mark Spreitzer, also stopped by and volunteered.
The growing popularity of the Beloit event has already prompted organizers to look ahead.
“Next year, we’re probably going to need a bigger pavilion,” Harwick said. “We’ll have to upgrade to a bigger space.”
The Wisconsin events were part of a nationwide series of free, community-based Take Kids Fishing Day events organized through the USA’s Work Boots on the Ground program. The initiative brings union volunteers together to improve public access to the outdoors to engage the next generation in nature.
Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA): The USA is a union-dedicated, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose members hunt, fish, shoot and volunteer their skills for conservation. The USA is uniting the union community through conservation to preserve North America’s outdoor heritage. For more information, visit www.unionsportsmen.org or connect on Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram.
Work Boots on the Ground (WBG): WBG is the USA’s flagship conservation program that brings together union members willing to volunteer their time and expertise to conservation projects that improve and enhance public access to the outdoors, conserve wildlife habitat, restore America’s parks and mentor youth in the outdoors. The USA’s Work Boots on the Ground program works closely with federal, state and local agencies and other conservation groups to provide manpower needed to complete critical projects that may otherwise go undone.
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