Fishing enthusiasts gather on Nepewassi Lake to raise funds
There was a big turnout this year on the waters of Nepewassi Lake as fishermen and fisherwomen gathered for the 27th annual Estaire Volunteer Fire Department Family Pike Derby.
It's the first time the derby's been held since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and it's one of the biggest fundraisers the fire department relies on all year.
"We are an unorganized township and we get our funding for the fire department by doing these fundraisers," said Chief Tina Basso.
The men and women who serve are volunteers. They're unpaid and it's the money they make here that goes into protecting the community.
More than 160 people came out to try it, hook, line and sinker. It's clearly an event with many of the community members that's been missed.
"Awe it feels great, we have a camp out her eon the lake and it feels great to be able to raise money for the fire department again," said fisherman Jim Kmit.
"Fishing is a lot of un, the small ones are biting but they are a fun time out here today," said another named Ted.
It's causes like this that has the whole community out doing what it can, they want to do their part.
Members of the Nepewassi Lake Association make lunch to help them reach their goal.
"And this spring, if anyone was listening to the news and the forest fires, we had a huge forest fire out here and it went on and this fire department was volunteering their time for more than a week, to put that fire out so it's so important that we're here to support them," said president Cathy Fournier.
"I feel there's an amazing amount of excitement, it's great to see all of the people again. It's great to have the human interaction. I've missed it so much," said Chief Basso.
The derby is being run as a catch and release so participants won't know who won until the end of the day.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Feds hope to table foreign interference legislation next week: LeBlanc
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to table legislation this week to help the federal government address foreign interference, but he wouldn't say whether the proposal will include a foreign agent registry.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Centre Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs hasn't been ruled out of tonight's Game 7 against the Boston Bruins.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.