RUMFORD – Rumford Group Homes Inc. held an agency-wide ice fishing event recently. The agency employs two “Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs” instructors: Greg Simoneau, director for the Transition House Program, and Sherry Ames, youth care worker at Turner Family Support Center.

Simoneau and Ames were able to get the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to grant an official lake sanction to host a youth fishing event on Roxbury Pond. The ice was shared that day with the Mexico Lions Club, which was hosting the Larry Mercier 26th annual Fishing Derby.

A day prior to the event, Ames partnered with Transition House staff member, Greg Dennison, and two of the boys, Nick and Bobby. They visited the Roy House, Greenleaf and the SILP programs to review the techniques, safety and rules to be observed in an ice fishing event.

The following group homes were represented at the Ice Fishing Spectacular: Leeds Bridge Home, Brent, Carl and Lisa with children, Dylan and Michael, fishing; Greenleaf and the Semi Independent Living Program, Linda and Leanne with children, Teddy, Jacob, Sam, Nick, Eddie and Steve; Turner Family Support Center, Samantha, Desiree and Sherry with children, Dylan and Michael; Transition House Program, Steve and Dwight with children, Nick, Alden and Bobby; Roy House, Yaicha and Nancy with children, Allen and Jamie.