The Ironmen Outdoor Ministries hosted the third annual catfish roundup at Little River State Park Saturday. The event’s organizers guessed there were somewhere between 100 and 125 people in attendance.

“I think we had more participants this year than in previous years,” Scott Hawk said. Hawk, a regional director for Ironmen Outdoor Ministries, said the event is named in honor of his brother, the late Charles Wendell Hawk, who suffered from Down syndrome.
“He passed away in April 2010,” Hawk said. “I got my own Ironmen Ministry in Montgomery shortly thereafter.”
Hawk made the trip to Little River from Mobile with only one purpose.

“I do this on behalf of my brother,” he said.

The Charles Wendell Hawk Memorial Catfish Roundup involves the Ironmen Outdoor Ministries hosting various groups of disabled persons at Little River State Park and provides all those in attendance with fishing rods and bait, as well as supplying the fishing waters with a fresh supply of catfish.

Hawk said the group added close to 1000 pounds of catfish to the waters and this year the weather was nicer.
“This year it’s been better because it’s cooler,” Hawk said.

He noted in past years, the Catfish Roundup was held during the hot months of summer.

Groups were also provided with lunch, as hot dogs and hamburgers were prepared on a grill and accompanied by chips and a beverage. Following lunch, the Ironmen gave a talk and led a prayer that was followed by a turkey hunter, who demonstrated techniques for catching a turkey. At that point, the groups returned to fishing for the remainder of the event.

This year, groups from various parts of Mobile County, Clarke County and Baldwin County attended the event.
Hawk said the Catfish Roundup is not the only positive event the Ironmen take part in.

“They do NASCAR events, they do Talladega, they do Auburn football games,” Hawk said. “We did a Wounded Warrior project. There’s a rodeo they do in the spring and the wild game cook-off in the spring, too.”

Hawk said what makes the Ironmen unique is a combined opportunity to share the teachings of Christianity and offering a chance to provide disabled persons with outdoors experiences.

“First of all, it’s a Christian organization,” Hawk said. “We promote the gospel, as well as extracurricular activities they might not get exposed to.”

Greg Godwin, also a regional director of Ironmen Outdoor Ministries, addressed the group following their lunch.

“It’s an honor to come out and serve and be with you guys,” Godwin said. “You help us. You’ve made my day. I just thank you for coming out and letting us serve you.”

Video footage from the event will be shown on WEAR-ABC-3 on Sunday, Oct. 21 from 5  until 5:30 a.m.

For more information about Ironmen Outdoor Ministries, you may contact Scott Hawk at his office at 251-476-0334 or visit their website at ironmenoutdoorministries.org

Ironmen Outdoor Ministries is in charge of the management aspect of Little River State Park located just off Alabama 21 on the Escambia/Monroe county line.