Show Me the Water event a huge success
Published 3:56 pm Monday, July 1, 2019
Dawn Burleigh/The Orange Leader The first Show Me the Water Event was a fun filled adventure for special needs individuals on Saturday.
Dawn Burleigh/The Orange Leader The first Show Me the Water Event was a fun filled adventure for special needs individuals on Saturday.
Dawn Burleigh/The Orange Leader The first Show Me the Water Event was a fun filled adventure for special needs individuals on Saturday.
Dawn Burleigh/The Orange Leader The first Show Me the Water Event was a fun filled adventure for special needs individuals on Saturday.
By Dawn Burleigh
The Orange Leader
Show Me the Water was for children with special needs to have on opportunity to fish, crabbing, enjoy boat rides and airboats while enjoying a Saturday afternoon barbecue sponsored by Hell or Highwaters Outdoors, Dragon Lady Airboats and Texas Parks and Wildlife, last Saturday at Square Lake in Orange.
Dawn Burleigh/The Orange Leader
The first Show Me the Water Event was a fun filled adventure for special needs individuals on Saturday.
Sallie Hynes, the owner of Dragon Lady Airboats, was inspired to do something to give children with special needs an opportunity to experience the outdoors in a way they may not have before.
On hand were many volunteers including some members of the LCM Fishing Team such as Timothy Weaver, Austin Bradley, Justin James, and Camden Morris.
“It is always nice to be on the water,” Morris said. “It helps others experience fishing.”
Dawn Burleigh/The Orange Leader
The first Show Me the Water Event was a fun filled adventure for special needs individuals on Saturday.
Weaver said those with special needs do not get to do as much as others.
“Today, they get the attention, fun and are taught how to go fishing,” Weaver said.
“To me, it is an opportunity to grow,” Bradley said. “It teaches you and then you want to do it. Fishing calms me. Any day on the water is a good day.”
James added, “It is the right thing to do. It is awesome to be out here today.”
“It is the highlight of any day,” Weaver added.
Dow employees were also on hand to volunteer their Saturday.
“Many of us have ties with family or friends with special needs,” Robert Lovelace said. “My six-year-old grandson is out here today. It is an opportunity to spend time with him and volunteer.”
Dawn Burleigh/The Orange Leader
The first Show Me the Water Event was a fun filled adventure for special needs individuals on Saturday.
Lovelace is part of one of the newly formed Network Teams at Dow as part of a way for the employees to volunteer more in the community and to give back.
“Site Leadership has been very supportive and providing the resources needed,” Chairman of Dow’s Disability Employee Network Mark Quinn said. “They started forming the networks last month. They [Show Me the Water] made contact with us asking for help with volunteers and boat rides for the kids. We saw an opportunity to give us a chance to volunteer.”
Children of all ages were all smiles as rods were cast or a boat circled the lake.
Many are already looking forward to the event next year.
