With a lack of sports teams and few activities for children, the Southland town of Garston has become hooked on a fishing club for kids and families alike.
Garston School is one of the country’s most isolated in terms of services, and there’s not enough children for a full team of any sport.
Local woman Shona Taylor said there “wasn’t really anything” for kids to do, and so she rang Heron Futter from the Regional Sports Trust for help.
She said answering Taylor’s call was “the best thing I’ve ever done”.
Futter encouraged Taylor to think about what Garston did have rather than what they didn’t.
“‘Look at your backyard, what have you got?’ And far out, they’ve got a lot.”
That call prompted Taylor to start a fishing club for kids.
It began with a group of 80 children fishing from the Kingston wharf on Lake Wakatipu.
“That just kicked it off and we handed out a whole lot of rods.”
One child taking part in the regular fishing trips, William, is hooked.
“I’ve been fishing probably six times now,” he said.
Futter said Taylor put out a call to action and “people just come from every direction”.
Taylor said it was important to make the club about everyone taking part.
“There’s not too many other things for adults to do too, so it was important we made it about families.”
She said she loves to get people out there and soak up the region’s beautiful surroundings.
“I just love kids laughing and having fun, parents chatting and catching up.”
“They laugh, they learn and just make magic,” Futter added.
