Paris, Tenn.–The Henry County Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse will hold its annual Cast-N-Blast fundraiser for Saturday, April 17, 2021 at Paris Landing State Park.
Carl Perkins Center Director Carly Wheat said the Cast-N-Blast event includes both a bass tournament and a turkey blast.
Cast-N-Blast will begin at safelight and registration for the bass ournament will be conducted from 4:30 am until 6 am that morning. There will be a Free Kids Fishing Rodeo at Paris Landing from 8 am until 12 pm. TWRA will be on site with items to give away and they will provide educational information of fish identification.
Paris Landing State Park’s Birds of Prey will be set up at 2:30 pm for a demo. Concessions will be available beginning at 11 am.
“We encourage all kids and families to enjoy the great outdoors Saturday,” Wheat said. “Turkey hunters will check in by 2 pm and announce winners before the Bass weigh in. Fishermen will be out of the water to arrive for weigh in by 3 pm. We are in search of Bass Fishermen and Turkey Hunters to register for Cast-N-Blast. Team up, Sportsmen for a great cause.”
Wheat said, “We are excited to continue this fundraiser in Henry County for the past 5 years. It has been a growing success and we have Kentucky Lake to our ddvantage. We are grateful to have this beautiful lake to hold tournaments and involve sportsmen. We aim to get the kids involved in the outdoors.”
The Carl Perkins Center is located on Brewer Street in downtown Paris and “is blessed to be a part of a community that works hard to continue providing child abuse prevention services to our families. We hope to continue to expand our work with children and those families affected by abuse by adding more prevention, training programs, Stewards of Children trainings, and expanding our Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program. The money raised from the Cast-N-Blast Fundraiser stays in Henry County to ensure the continuance of those needed services,” she said.
Wheat said organizers hope to have a big turnout from the community in supporting the cause. “We are a community and we have to take care of our kids during a traumatic time. Prevention is key,” she said.
The Center collaborates with many agencies in our community to provide these services including the the Henry County Sheriff’s Department, Paris Police Department, Juvenile Court, Department of Children’s Services, and other local mental health agencies.
Photo: Boats launch at the 2013 Cast-N-Blast.