Pier bliss: Military Families fish for free at Kure Beach

By Michelle Butzgy
Paraglide

	Photos by Michelle Butzgy/Paraglide Volunteer Robert Mercer weighs each child’s fish while Beth Cooper tallies the weight during the Step Up For Soldiers Children’s Fishing Day at Kure Beach Pier Saturday. The largest fish caught was a one and a half pound cobia.

It was a day of new experiences and Family fun. Seventy seven Families from all five military branches took advantage of free fishing on Kure Beach Pier from 7 a.m. to noon Saturday. The event, hosted by Step Up For Soldiers, a non-profit group dedicated to members of the Armed Forces of the United States of America, gave each Family member a rod and reel to use, breakfast, lunch, drinks and backpacks filled with toys for each child.

“It’s all about keeping the Family together,” said Tom Russell, founder of Step Up For Soldiers. He founded the organization in 2004 after he heard about two National Guardsmen from Wilmington, N.C. losing their legs while serving overseas. Russell built custom wheelchair accessible ramps for the Soldiers. When local media started to cover his efforts, more and more people from Wilmington and the surrounding area stepped forward to help.

Now the organization has taken on larger projects such as the Fallen Soldiers Memorial in Wilmington and the Children’s Fishing Day, now in its fifth year.

“Over the past couple of years, it’s taken off where we even have people calling from San Diego (asking) ‘How do we duplicate it?’” said Anthony Nobilio, Step Up For Soldiers Web master.

People young and old called out “I caught one,” up and down the pier. Ceirra Burdyck, 6, caught her first fish ever, a .5-ounce spot. “We were on vacation when I heard about this event. She just threw (the line) in and caught one,” said Staff Sgt. David Burdyck, instructor at NCO Academy at Fort Bragg.

Steven Dufault, came down with Family friend Crystal Owen for a day of fishing while his father, Staff Sgt. Derek Dufault, was on staff duty. Steven caught a .45-ounce fish.

Owen had nothing but praise for the organization.

“Tom Russell does a great job with Step Up For Soldiers. He’s been involved with Gold Star Wives. I found out about the event and decided to take Steven,” she said. Her husband, Staff Sgt.

Michael G. Owen, was killed in Iraq Oct. 15, 2004.

Volunteer Beth Cooper was also impressed with Step Up For Soldiers’ mission. She and other helpers rigged poles with hooks and sinkers for all of the participants.

“Ask me if I’m going to come back again? I’m going to come back again. This is so neat. I think I’m going to be a volunteer permanently for this group,” she said.

Fishing wasn’t the only entertainment of the day. The Coast Guard came in full force with a C-130 flyby and a Cutter right off the pier for all to see.

The North Carolina National Guard showed off some of their equipment while the Wilmington Police Department Pipes And Drums played patriotic tunes on the pier.

The day finished with an award ceremony and an invitation from Splash Water Park in Carolina Beach to cool off after the hot day on the pier.

Step Up For Soldier member Jim Kotyk, who came up with the military children fishing event, told the crowd of around 200 people to tell their neighbors about this event for next year.

“We can accommodate up to 300. We would love to fill the pier,” he said.

As Families said goodbye or made plans to go to the water park, Russell looked pleased with how everything went.

“Great day. You get Families out, it’s always a good time. Strong Family, strong America,” he said.

For more information about Step Up For Soldiers, visit www.stepupforsoldiers.org/home.html or call 1-877-900 STEP.

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