On Saturday, May 14, Port Freeport hosted its 22nd Annual Take-A-Child Fishing Tournament (TACFT) at Freeport Municipal Park. A total of 301 local young anglers with their families brought the total attendance close to 700 people. Over 600 canned good items were collected as part of the entry fee for the event to help fill the pantry at the Brazoria County Dream Center.
“For 22 consecutive years, the generosity of our sponsors and volunteers has allowed Port Freeport to host this wonderful, family-friendly event,” Port Freeport Executive Director/CEO Phyllis Saathoff said. “The weather was perfect, and the fish were biting. The tournament had a weigh-in record set at just over 9 lbs. It is rewarding to host an event that brings our families together for a fun day of fishing and building long-lasting memories on the banks of the Old Brazos River.”
Registrants were divided into two age groups, and first through third place prizes were awarded to both groups. First place winners were awarded a trophy, laptop, and backpack. Second and third place received trophies and Visa gift cards. Each registrant received a t-shirt and drawstring backpack filled with goodies. They also had an opportunity to win one of the 160 door prizes. Special guests and the event sponsors attended to volunteer: LJA Surveying hosted a tent and handed out promotional items and snacks; Terracon assisted with the bait station; Dole Fresh Fruit Company’s mascots Bobby, the banana, and Penelope, the pineapple, visited and took photos with the attendees; free snow cones were served by Southern Cool Shaved Ice; and face painting was provided by First Baptist Church of Freeport.
“On behalf of the Port Commission, I would like to thank our 54 sponsors and over the 90 dedicated volunteers who make this event possible year-after-year,” Port Commission Chairman John Hoss said. “We rely upon their generosity and time to put this event on for our community. This event offers an opportunity to introduce fishing to our youth and receive lots of giveaways. It is heartwarming to see the joy on our younger anglers’ faces as they reel in their catches.”
The youth anglers caught a variety of fish and presented a total of 282 fish at the weigh-in. Port Freeport would like to thank everyone who attended and congratulate this year’s winners:
Blue Fins Category (Ages 3-8)
- First Place – Nikolai Turner
- Second Place – Roslin Thull
- Third Place – Emilie Escobedo
Yellow Fins Category (Ages 9-14)
- First Place – Majen Shaw
- Second Place – Reid Dusek
- Third Place – Damian Carrasco
Port Freeport would like to extend a thank you to all the volunteers for their dedication and the following sponsors for their generosity: Platinum - AAA Asphalt Paving Inc.; Brazos Pilots Association; Freeport LNG; HDR, Inc.; McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.; Moffatt & Nichol; Ports America, Inc.; Vulcan Materials Company; Gold – Bay – Houston Towing Co.; Doyle & Wachstetter, Inc.; Sunstates Security LLC.; Silver – BGE, Inc.; Bracewell, LLP; City of Freeport; Dole Fresh Fruit Company; Freeport Mooring & Marine, Inc; Freese and Nichols; G&H Towing Company; ILA Local No. 30; J&S Contractors, Inc.; Leaf Engineers; LJA Surveying; Red Hook Terminals; Southern Moon Entertainment; TJ’s Lube Stop; Weighing Technologies, Inc.; Sponsor - Bell Dental; Blueline Shop & Copy Center; Brandfire Texas; Brazoria County Septic Service; Bridge Bait; Bridge Harbor Yacht Club; Chiquita Brands International; Dude Payne, Brazoria County Commissioner Pct. 1; First State Bank; Gulf Coast Engraving; Gulftex Vending & Coffee Services, Inc.; Jetco Delivery; Kendralyn Design Co.; Killum Pest Control; KM&L, LLC; Magaly Malambri Photography; Masterson Advisors, LLC; Mejia Industrial Supply Company; Mulligan’s Golf Center; Nena’s Mexican Restaurant; Port Commissioner Dan Croft; Port Commissioner Ravi Singhania; Rooster's Crow Guide Service; Southern Cool Shaved Ice; Sprint Waste Services; The Brevard Company; Terracon; Texas Port Ministry; and Vernor Material & Equipment.
