Bird Sanctuary fishing day, lunch with area students and volunteers returns after three-year hiatus

A long-running, beloved program at the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary returned this May after three years of cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two-day program, dubbed “Catch ‘em, Clean ‘em, Eat ‘em,” brings together students and staff from the Barry County Intermediate School District, Sanctuary staff and volunteers, and volunteers from the local chapter of the Wheelin’ Sportsmen.

From lake to plate

Groups head down to Wintergreen Lake with fishing poles in hand to snag sunfish, which are abundant in the lake. Volunteers clean, fillet and fry the fish, which are then eaten for lunch along with hot dogs and other goodies.

Then, each fish is measured and weighed to determine who caught the biggest fish.

Of the event, Lisa Duke, current Sanctuary manager, said, “It was so wonderful to be able to bring this partner program back after a long hiatus due to the pandemic. I have been a part of this program for 10 years now, and have had the privilege to see many of the students return through the years.”

She added, “It was great to see their faces again and see how much they have grown.”

Fun, fellowship, and education

The program began in 2005 and was started by Joe Johnson, wildlife biologist and former long-time manager of the Bird Sanctuary, along with members of the Thornapple Valley Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Wheelin’ Sportsmen group.

Mark Manuszak, manager of KBS’s Lux Arbor Reserve, has taken part in fishing day for years. “This is a big event for the kids so everyone involved at KBS goes all in,” he said. “It’s a perfect use of an MSU natural resource that is readily accessible.

“The beauty of it is it combines fun, fellowship, and education all into one event. You can’t beat that.”

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