08-17-2009, 11:41 PM
[size 2]Teens delight in learning to fish at the reservoir
Written by Rachel Kirkpatrick
Saturday, 15 August 2009 00:00
![[Image: 8-13-9-fishers-trees.jpg]](http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/images/stories/redding/2009/08/8-13-9-fishers-trees.jpg)
As the late afternoon sun shone over the treetops, cheers erupted along the shores of the Saugatuck Reservoir: 11-year-old Lily Garbe of Fairfield had caught her first fish of the day, a yellow perch.
Lily and a group of approximately 10 other special-needs children were participating in the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Connecticut Aquatic Resource Education program (CARE), an Aquarion Water Company-supported initiative that teaches kids of all ages to fish. Fred Frillici of Fairfield has been teaching fishing with the program for 22 years.
“This is the big finish,” Mr. Frillici said at the fishing location along the reservoir in Redding.
Mr. Frillici is one of the original instructors of the program. It’s estimated he has taught more than 5,000 area children to fish over the years.
“I’m very lucky that I have a great relationship with Aquarion. They’re absolutely fantastic in the way they reach out to have the kids fishing at a special spot, especially at the Saugatuck Reservoir,” he said. “The kids really get — some of them for the first time — to see how great the outdoors can be
![[Image: 8-13-9-fishers-lily.jpg]](http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/images/stories/redding/2009/08/8-13-9-fishers-lily.jpg)
Mr. Frillici has taught children from all different backgrounds, from inner-city kids, to kids from affluent areas, and last week, a group of kids from the Fairfield Special Education PTA.
“That reservoir is the equalizer,” Mr. Frillici said. “When they get there, and they have that fishing rod in their hand and they smell that fresh air, and the sun is shining on them, they’re all kids. They forget where they come from... they just enjoy the nature.”
“The reason I’ve been doing this for 22 years is I firmly believe if the kids are out fishing, they’re not getting into trouble,” he added.
Mr. Frillici was featured in an article in his local paper, and after, Mary Garbe, a member of the Fairfield Special Education PTA (Fairfield SEPTA Inc.), approached him and asked if he would do the class for these kids. The group took three classes to prepare for the fishing day. They watched DVDs and then learned how to cast on an athletic field.
“It turned out to be a learning experience for them, and one for me,” he said. “The reservoir trip is the grand finale.”
Leendert DeJong, Aquarion’s manager of watershed and environmental management, called Mr. Frillici “instrumental” in growing the CARE program in Fairfield County.
“We always strive to provide access and support for recreational activities, particularly for the urban youth, and this was a nice way to marry-up the CARE program,” Mr. DeJong said. “We take great pride in creating these community opportunities.”
Aquarion has expanded its partnership with the CARE program to support the DEP’s “No Child Left Inside” initiative. The reservoir, Mr. DeJong said, is a perfect spot for the participants in the program.
“It’s an absolutely beautiful location and has become one of the prime fishing-holding areas in the state,” he said.
Mr. DeJong said the property is managed by the Conservation Land Committee, a group of three entities: Aquarion Water Company, The Nature Conservancy and the Department of Environmental Protection. These groups have created hiking trails throughout a good deal of Aquarion property. Recently, the groups opened the Saugatuck hiking trail system and more recently opened Aspetuck Valley Trail, which goes through Easton and Redding to Newtown and links up with the Huntington State Park trail system.
The CARE program is one of Aquarion’s many community initiatives. The company is active in Earth Day projects and has participated in some of Redding’s projects over the years, Mr. DeJong said.
“It is all part of the fact that we call ourselves stewards of the environment,” he said. “This is a company giving itself back to the community, so the community can share some of the environment.”
Aquarion allows public fishing in certain reservoirs in Weston, Redding, Monroe and Shelton. A Connecticut fishing license and an Aquarion fishing permit are required. Last Thursday was the first time a person in a wheelchair fished with the CARE program, but Mr. DeJong said Aquarion has built a handicapped fishing pier for the general public.
For more information about fishing Aquarion’s reservoirs, call the Aspetuck Environmental Center at 203-452-3511.[/size]
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Written by Rachel Kirkpatrick
Saturday, 15 August 2009 00:00
As the late afternoon sun shone over the treetops, cheers erupted along the shores of the Saugatuck Reservoir: 11-year-old Lily Garbe of Fairfield had caught her first fish of the day, a yellow perch.
Lily and a group of approximately 10 other special-needs children were participating in the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Connecticut Aquatic Resource Education program (CARE), an Aquarion Water Company-supported initiative that teaches kids of all ages to fish. Fred Frillici of Fairfield has been teaching fishing with the program for 22 years.
“This is the big finish,” Mr. Frillici said at the fishing location along the reservoir in Redding.
Mr. Frillici is one of the original instructors of the program. It’s estimated he has taught more than 5,000 area children to fish over the years.
“I’m very lucky that I have a great relationship with Aquarion. They’re absolutely fantastic in the way they reach out to have the kids fishing at a special spot, especially at the Saugatuck Reservoir,” he said. “The kids really get — some of them for the first time — to see how great the outdoors can be
Mr. Frillici has taught children from all different backgrounds, from inner-city kids, to kids from affluent areas, and last week, a group of kids from the Fairfield Special Education PTA.
“That reservoir is the equalizer,” Mr. Frillici said. “When they get there, and they have that fishing rod in their hand and they smell that fresh air, and the sun is shining on them, they’re all kids. They forget where they come from... they just enjoy the nature.”
“The reason I’ve been doing this for 22 years is I firmly believe if the kids are out fishing, they’re not getting into trouble,” he added.
Mr. Frillici was featured in an article in his local paper, and after, Mary Garbe, a member of the Fairfield Special Education PTA (Fairfield SEPTA Inc.), approached him and asked if he would do the class for these kids. The group took three classes to prepare for the fishing day. They watched DVDs and then learned how to cast on an athletic field.
“It turned out to be a learning experience for them, and one for me,” he said. “The reservoir trip is the grand finale.”
Leendert DeJong, Aquarion’s manager of watershed and environmental management, called Mr. Frillici “instrumental” in growing the CARE program in Fairfield County.
“We always strive to provide access and support for recreational activities, particularly for the urban youth, and this was a nice way to marry-up the CARE program,” Mr. DeJong said. “We take great pride in creating these community opportunities.”
Aquarion has expanded its partnership with the CARE program to support the DEP’s “No Child Left Inside” initiative. The reservoir, Mr. DeJong said, is a perfect spot for the participants in the program.
“It’s an absolutely beautiful location and has become one of the prime fishing-holding areas in the state,” he said.
Mr. DeJong said the property is managed by the Conservation Land Committee, a group of three entities: Aquarion Water Company, The Nature Conservancy and the Department of Environmental Protection. These groups have created hiking trails throughout a good deal of Aquarion property. Recently, the groups opened the Saugatuck hiking trail system and more recently opened Aspetuck Valley Trail, which goes through Easton and Redding to Newtown and links up with the Huntington State Park trail system.
The CARE program is one of Aquarion’s many community initiatives. The company is active in Earth Day projects and has participated in some of Redding’s projects over the years, Mr. DeJong said.
“It is all part of the fact that we call ourselves stewards of the environment,” he said. “This is a company giving itself back to the community, so the community can share some of the environment.”
Aquarion allows public fishing in certain reservoirs in Weston, Redding, Monroe and Shelton. A Connecticut fishing license and an Aquarion fishing permit are required. Last Thursday was the first time a person in a wheelchair fished with the CARE program, but Mr. DeJong said Aquarion has built a handicapped fishing pier for the general public.
For more information about fishing Aquarion’s reservoirs, call the Aspetuck Environmental Center at 203-452-3511.[/size]
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