PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. (WLOX) - Mississippi Gulf Coast Buddy Sports set sail in the Gulf to provide kids and adults with special needs an opportunity to enjoy a day on the water.
Mike Crawford founded the group in 2010 with about 30 kids, a handful of volunteers, and the love of baseball. Over the years, they have branched out from just being on the diamond.
“A lot of parents started asking, ‘Hey, what else are we gonna do?’ Or, ‘When are we gonna play Buddy Ball?’ So we decided, hey, we gotta get some other stuff going,” Mississippi Gulf Coast Buddy Sports Executive Director Mike Crawford said.
That decision led the group to start Fishing with Buddies in 2019, giving everybody a chance to cast a line and reel in some fish.
“We got this idea of, hey, what else do other people do for fun? And it’s like, hey, people fish. Let’s take people fishing,” Crawford said.
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Each year, the event has surged in popularity, consistently attracting a blend of fresh and familiar faces.
Biloxi resident Jenny Traweek brought her son Tyler out for the first time after hearing about what the group has to offer.
“I actually saw a post on Facebook about special needs options, and being a mom of a special needs child, I knew this would be a great opportunity for my son,” Traweek said.
Those opportunities consistently bring joy and smiles to individuals with special needs.
“It means so much, because my son, you know, you think that they would miss out on a lot of things just being special needs, and they don’t get to experience things as other kids do, but he gets so many opportunities, and he gets to belong and gets to be around other kids that are like him, and that is such an amazing opportunity for him,” Traweek said.
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“That’s what it’s all about, man. Life is too short not to be happy, so we want everybody to be happy,” Crawford said. “We give them, you know, every opportunity we can.”
39 boats were filled with 56 children and adults with special needs.
To learn more about what Mississippi Gulf Coast Buddy Sports has to offer, visit their website.
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