Children age 11 and under are invited to a Kids Fishing Derby, organized by the Donegal Fish & Conservation Association (DFCA). The event will be held at the reflecting pond on the grounds of Donegal Presbyterian Church, 1891 Donegal Springs Road, Mount Joy, from 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 12. Handicapped anglers of all ages who possess a current Pennsylvania fishing license are also welcome to participate.

"The Donegal Fish & Conservation Association has a long history of outreach to the local community, and it is important for us to provide this opportunity for children to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends," said Scot Harlacher, who is a member of the association and a member of the mission team at the church. "We hope that kids will come away from this event with an appreciation for nature and a sense of accomplishment that they were able to piece together all the skills needed to fish for trout. It's important for us to give families the opportunity to spend this time together, make memories and hopefully have some success."

In conjunction with the fishing derby, the church will hold a pancake breakfast, which is open to the public. The meal will be served in the fellowship hall from 7 to 11 a.m. Proceeds from the breakfast will help to fund a church mission trip to the St. Lawrence County area of upstate New York in July.

"This is an area of New York state that has a huge need for help, especially given their harsh winters and economic challenges," Harlacher explained. "We plan to install several ramps at people's homes to help them with access and mobility. Our fundraising efforts fund the purchase of building supplies along with gas and food for the team and allow us to continue with this help for needy families."

The fishing derby is just one way the DFCA promotes environmental stewardship. The group is a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring the Donegal watershed to its original state. In cooperation with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), the DFCA has raised more than 3,000 trout annually since 1964 for stocking in the Donegal Creek. At the fishing derby, there will be more than 300 brook, rainbow, golden and brown trout stocked for the participants to catch and take home.

"I encourage kids to come out to this fishing derby because it will present a reasonable chance for them to catch trout," Harlacher shared. "It may be a bit easier than fishing on an open public trout stream because this area is specifically set up for a children's event."

Attendees should dress warmly and be prepared for rain because the event will be held rain or shine. Harlacher noted that people are welcome to come inside the church for food and hot drinks to warm up.

All participants must abide by PFBC regulations, and all fishing must stop at 11 a.m.

DFCA members will be on hand until 11:30 a.m. to help participants, but each angler must bring his or her own equipment and clean his or her own fish. All participants must register with the DFCA on the day of the event. Parking will be permitted only in the Donegal Presbyterian Church parking area. Street parking will be prohibited.

For more information, contact Harlacher at 717-201-6571 or sahmidnight1@yahoo.com.