FRACKVILLE — As Matt Peleschak cast his line at Whippoorwill Dam on Saturday during the first Black Diamond Autism Trout Derby, he said why his 11-year-old son, Matthew, was absent.
“My oldest son, Matthew, has severe autism. He doesn’t have the patience to do this, and being around crowds would be difficult for him,” Peleschak, Pottsville, said.
Instead, Peleschak brought his son, Ron, 7; his daughter, Caitlyn, 9; and his father-in-law, Ron Dunn, also of Pottsville, to the trout rodeo to boost autism awareness and education.
More than 100 people attended the derby, and lined up along the dam to try their luck.
Peleschak said he’d like the public to become better educated so they’re less likely to misinterpret their encounters with autistic children and their families.
“When they see an autistic kid, they should know that it’s not ‘bad’ behavior,” he said. “We’re trying to manage our children all the time. A lot of people may see my son on the outside and think he looks physically fine, but socially, he’s completely different.”
His family is a member of the Schuylkill County Autism Society. He also recommends Applied Behavior Analysis.
“They’re a good organization and have a great Facebook page and Twitter feed,” he said.
He said his family’s goal is to help Matthew become independent, have a good quality of life and to live peacefully and happily.
Ron Peleschak was hoping to catch a large fish Saturday, similar to the one he caught earlier this spring in Clarks Valley — a nearly 20-inch trout.
“I had to steer him around a rock,” he said.
Meanwhile, Martin Mantz, 10, of Ashland, was fishing with his father, Brian Mantz, when he reeled in a fish shortly before lunchtime Saturday that had a prize tag on it. Martin won a new fishing rod.
“We’re here to support this effort for autism,” Brian Mantz said.
Although Martin is not autistic, he does have oppositional defiant disorder, impulsive disorder and other health concerns, his father said.
Two Black Diamond Bar co-workers, Sherry McGlade and Amber Maurer, both of Frackville, decided to begin raising funds for autism awareness about three years ago. Their boss, and owner of the Frackville bar, Terry Ambrose, also jumped onboard with their plan. They eventually formed a nonprofit organization called Diamond Charity Group. What began as a one-night event has grown into a multiple-day fundraising effort.
“Autism is something that’s associated with all of our lives, and we wanted to bring more awareness to it,” McGlade said. “The community support is what makes us keep going.”
“We packed the bar that first year,” Maurer said, adding that they held a one-night fundraiser initially.
“Each year, it gets better and better,” McGlade said.
On Saturday, Maurer, McGlade and McGlade’s mother, Sharon, wore T-shirts with the group’s motto, “Black Diamond Goes Blue.” They manned a game booth during the rodeo.
Last year, the group also held a Fun Day. This year, the group held another Fun Day a few weeks ago at the Frackville Elks, and also decided to start a trout rodeo, enlisting the help of coordinator Ken Yurkonis, Minersville.
Several volunteers from Schuylkill County Trout Unlimited assisted during Saturday’s event. The group stocked tiger trout Friday evening, and Saturday morning they stocked rainbow and golden trout, according to John Bondura and Dave Sfarra. About 250 trout, valued at $3,000, were donated, Bondura said. SCTU purchased their fish from S-A Trout Pond, Orwigsburg. SCTU sells buttons and other merchandise to raise funds for the fish and community programs it offers.
Gordon Fish & Game also donated 500 trout for the cause, according to Yurkonis.
Anyone participating in the trout derby bought a ticket for $10 or could pay $15 and receive two rods for fishing.
“It’s a really good charity. I have people buying $10 tickets with a $20 bill, and saying to ‘keep the change,’ ” Yurkonis said. “The generosity of these folks makes me shiver.”
Yurkonis said Jean Marie Brayford and Denise Olechnowicz were among those running the food stand Saturday, selling hamburgers, hotdogs, macaroni salad, chips, water and soda.
“It’s for a very good cause,” Olechnowicz, Pottsville, who also volunteered at this year’s Fun Day, said. Olechnowicz said all of the food was donated.
Sherry McGlade said the money collected is used to support school classrooms. The schools make requests, and the Diamond Charity Group then purchases supplies, materials or other educational aides beneficial to autistic students.
These are items that the schools don’t presently have, she said.