Sun staff
Batavia Township Trustees and the Clermont County League for Animal Welfare sponsored the township’s first annual fishing derby Saturday June 22. Kids ages 3 to 15, along with parents and grandparents, were invited to the Batavia Township Community Center and Park to participate in a free fishing contest from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The League for Animal Welfare’s Mobile Adoption Van was present for the event, bringing with it four cats and ten dogs.
LAW is a non-profit organization that has been in business since 1949. It is the oldest no-kill animal shelter in the Tristate area. It normally has around 40 dogs and 80 to 100 cats up for adoption at all times.
“We really want to encourage people to come check us out and see what we’re all about,” Samantha Sanders with the LAW said.
The shelter will be holding its July Jamboree open house July 12-21. During this time, all adoption fees are reduced to $20 for cats and $45 for dogs.
The purpose for the fishing derby was to promote the animal shelter as well as the community.
“We just wanted to try to get the community together, get the kids to come out to go fishing with their parents and grandparents,” said township administrator Rex Parsons.
The pond was stocked with about 300 pounds of catfish prior to the derby. Awards were given out to the child who caught the largest fish, smallest fish, and most fish. All children present also received a small trophy for participation.