‘Fishing with Buddies’ offers outside enjoyable for people with particular wants

PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. (WLOX) – Mississippi Gulf Coast Buddy Sports set sail within the Gulf to offer children and adults with particular wants a chance to take pleasure in a day on the water.

Mike Crawford based the group in 2010 with about 30 children, a handful of volunteers, and the love of baseball. Over the years, they’ve branched out from simply being on the diamond.

“A lot of parents started asking, ‘Hey, what else are we gonna do?’ Or, ‘When are we gonna play Buddy Ball?’ So we decided, hey, we gotta get some other stuff going,” Mississippi Gulf Coast Buddy Sports Executive Director Mike Crawford mentioned.

That resolution led the group to start out Fishing with Buddies in 2019, giving all people an opportunity to forged a line and reel in some fish.

“We got this idea of, hey, what else do other people do for fun? And it’s like, hey, people fish. Let’s take people fishing,” Crawford mentioned.

Each yr, the occasion has surged in reputation, constantly attracting a mix of recent and acquainted faces.

Biloxi resident Jenny Traweek introduced her son Tyler out for the primary time after listening to about what the group has to supply.

“I actually saw a post on Facebook about special needs options, and being a mom of a special needs child, I knew this would be a great opportunity for my son,” Traweek mentioned.

Those alternatives constantly carry pleasure and smiles to people with particular wants.

“It means so much, because my son, you know, you think that they they would miss out on a lot of things just being special needs, and they don’t get to experience things as other kids do, but he gets so many opportunities, and he gets to belong and get to be around other kids that are like him, and that is such an amazing opportunity for him,” Traweek mentioned.

“That’s what it’s all about, man. Life is too short not to be happy, so we want everybody to be happy,” Crawford mentioned. “We give them, you know, every opportunity we can.”

39 boats have been stuffed with 56 youngsters and adults with particular wants.

To be taught extra about what Mississippi Gulf Coast Buddy Sports has to supply, go to their website.

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