Carol and Rick Clark are Alabama Bright Lights helping children hunt and fish In Alabama, hunting and fishing feels like a birthright with outdoor places and opportunities so plentiful. Many are introduced to these activities at a Kidz Outdoors is a national program with six options that aims to provide outdoor young age and opportunities for sick or impaired children. (Karim Shamsi-Basha / Alabama NewsCenter) enjoy them the rest of their lives. Carol and Rick Clark answered But what about those children who are unable to hunt or fish because illness, injury or other impairment makes it too challenging?
that question by founding the Kidz Outdoors.
Kidz Outdoors is an Alabama Bright
Light connecting children with nature from Alabama NewsCenter. “My husband is an avid turkey hunter and was asked to guide a little boy with cancer during the hunt,” Carol said. “On the way home, we stopped the car because we had tears running down our face. We knew this was our calling, and our lives were changed that day.” Kidz Outdoors serves children like 15-year-old Colby Harris, who suffers from Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). Harris is extremely passionate about the non-profit. “Kids Outdoors has made a huge impact on my life,” he said. “Before I didn’t really get to do much outdoors, and I’ve never been that adventurous. I’ve made a lot of friends, it’s very special.” Colby’s father, Ronnie Harris, Heard about Kidz Outdoors at church and enrolled Colby in the program. “This was about a year ago. The trip was actually canceled a couple times because Colby was too sick to go, and the Clarks were so patient with rearranging schedules and working with us. We finally got to go on the trip six months ago, and we had a blast,” Ronnie Harris said. Another child who has enjoyed Kidz Outdoors is Rhae Busby, whose mother Dana loves what the program has done for her daughter. “Since we started attending, Kidz Outdoors has been amazing for our family,” she said. “We have always enjoyed hunting and fishing, but we never thought Rhae would be able to do it. She has Brittle Bone Disease. Now she’s been able to go hunting and fishing. My other son has found a love for turkey hunting through Carol and Rick. They have become like a family to us.”
44 BOOM!
February 2019
RiverRegionBoom.com
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