By EMILY D. COOK / Community Columnist

Gone Fishin’ Not Just Wishin’ Exceptional Anglers event takes place again at Oak Mountain State Park on May 11-13, 2016.

This event has been held for over 20 years, many of them inside the park.

Gone Fishin’ is an event dear to my heart and many people would agree with me that it is such an amazing event to be able to participate in.

Each year, children from Jefferson and Shelby County schools come to the park over three days to fish, do crafts, dance, eat fish and enjoy the sunshine.

During this time, we can see close to 1,000 children.

Each child needs a volunteer to help them fish and being one of those volunteers is extra special because you get to see the smiles on their face as they catch a fish. Many of them have never been fishing in their life.

Can you imagine looking forward to an event like this every year? These children do.

They hear their friends talk about it throughout the school year and they are ready for their time to go.

I look forward to it every year because everyone needs the opportunity to experience the outdoors and a cool activity like fishing.

Don’t like to fish? Don’t worry! You can still volunteer.

There is plenty that needs to be done. You can help cook the fish that the kids will eat for lunch, be a photographer to capture the moment a child reels in a fish, help them put on and take off lifejackets, fix the fishing tackle on a rod, do a craft with them and so much more.

We are always in need volunteers to make this event happen, and it is never too late to sign up.

To volunteer, contact Kasie McKee at kasie.mckee@dcnr.alabama.gov or 477-6301.

Please remember that you keep Alabama State Parks open by visiting them. Thank you for your support.