Boys and girls aged 4 to 15 tried to catch some of the 100 trout stocked for the Optimist Club of Valley Forge’s annual opening day Trout Rodeo Saturday morning March 30. The event was held on Gulph Creek as it runs through Executive Estates Park along Montgomery Avenue (Route 23) in Upper Merion Township. The program is held with the cooperation of the Township’s Park and Recreation Department and the Upper Merion Township Board of Supervisors.

The trout were raised, delivered and stocked by the Stony Creek Anglers, a Norristown area organization that operates a trout nursery in East Norriton. The Stony Creek Anglers’ will be hold their 22^nd Annual Trout Derby on Saturday April 27 and Sunday April 28 at the Norristown Farm Park on the State Hospital Grounds. (www.stonycreekanglers.org)

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About 40 young anglers fished with a large number of parents and adults watching and encouraging the action. Several kids landed large trout averaging a foot or greater. The kids also hooked more than a few native minnows.  The Optimist Club provided gift certificates to the three kids that caught the largest fish.  The winners were Illio Hryhorovych  from Feasterville, PA, Warren Marchese of King of Prussia and third place was Chloe Burda of Audubon , PA. (See Photo and caption)

Optimist Club Secretary LaVera Seymour said, “This is a great event for the kids, getting outdoors and experiencing an activity that they will remember for a very long time.  We are so happy that we can continue our trout rodeo as it was one of the first projects that the Optimist Club of Valley Forge started in 1970.”  “Thanks to the Township, the Stony Creek Anglers, all the volunteers that prepared the site and all the parents and kids that participated.”

The Optimist Club of Valley Forge is part of Optimists International an organization with the mission of “Bringing out the Best in Youth.” Club members work for good government, respect for law and the positive development of young people.  The Optimist Club of Valley Forge sponsors many opportunities for area youth to perform at a high level including oratorical and essay contests, school based clubs and sports skill contests.

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