'Fishing Has No Boundaries'

I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.

June 28, 1998

By Devlyn Brooks

Working with Bemidji's "Fishing Has No Boundaries" event has always given Chairman Jimmy George great satisfaction. But this year's event, more than any in the past, has meant more to him than he ever could have imagined when he helped found the event a decade ago.

George, who has chaired the event for the last eight years, had both a half-brother and his aunt's son participating this year in the event, which is held to provide disabled people the opportunity to experience the joy of fishing. His half-brother, Don Matthews, was injured three years ago in a car accident and is paralyzed and bound to a wheelchair as a result, but this year was the first in which he could fish in FHNB. Medical problems have kept him from participating the last two years.

Fishing Has No Boundaries, a program in which volunteers take disabled people of all ages fishing, is about a dozen years old. It was founded in Hayward, Wis., by a local fishing guide, and in 1990 split into two factions -- a local chapter and a national organization that promotes the event nationwide.

Bemidji's annual event is taking place this weekend on the shores of Lake Bemidji, north of the Paul and Babe statues. On Saturday, the approximately 75 fishing participants took to area lakes with more than 200 guides and volunteers in tow. Today, the participants and volunteers will gather for a church service and later an awards ceremony celebrating the event.

Much like the last two years, the anglers have had to fish in between bouts of inclement weather this weekend, and for the second consecutive year a storm blew down the event's registration tent. However, everything else seemed to be sailing smoothly Saturday, according to George.

The event, sponsored by many area businesses, costs about $8,000 to $10,000 to operate each year, George said. It costs each angler about $50 to participate, but no one has ever been turned away because a lack of money. Many businesses donate money to cover the registration fees as well.

In its first year in Bemidji, Fishing Has No Boundaries, garnered about 25 anglers, but has since grown to its current size of 75 to 80 participants, George said. It happens to be the only FHNB event held in Minnesota, and therefore those with disabilities from other states have even come to fish in Bemidji's events. There are about 14 events held nationally every year.

Julie Scherrer, a rosy-cheeked, veteran participant in FHNB, knows what the event is about. She said she has fished in all 10 of Bemidji's FHNBs because she enjoys meeting new friends, fishing on the lakes and eating the "good" food donated by area businesses.

Scherrer was one of the more successful people on lakes Saturday, hauling in a 22.5 inch walleye. She also caught a 19 inch Northern last year, she said.

"I try my best, but without my guides, I wouldn't know what to do," she said in a conversation with George and a reporter. "And I don't know what we'd do without him (George). I don't know who would take us fishing."

Dodging the compliment, George said the event couldn't continue without the support of individuals and businesses in the community. In addition to the guides who volunteer their time, local medical, fire department, National Guard and civil defense radio personnel also donate their services. As for the food, equipment, boats and safety gear, all is given by regional businesses.

" I sat down (recently) and talked to myself ... and I realized just what Fishing Has No Boundaries means," George said, gazing at his half-brother who was just getting off his boat at the end of the day. "I get a lot of pleasure out of it. That's the biggest smile on (Don's) face I've ever seen."