Unions & Partners Honor Event Founder While Connecting Kansas City Families to Fishing
Nearly 200 young anglers and family members from Kansas City had the chance to pick up a fishing rod—many for the first time—at the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s (USA) Greater Kansas City Take Kids Fishing Day on Saturday, Sept. 13, at Penn Valley Lake. The event, now in its fifth year, carried special meaning as volunteers and participants honored the memory of Dave Coleman, who founded the event alongside friend and labor leader Alise Martiny. Coleman, Ironworkers Local 10 business manager, passed away unexpectedly just days before this year’s gathering.
Hosted by the USA and the Greater Kansas City Building and Construction Trades Council (BCTC), the event introduced urban youths and their families to the joys of fishing while fostering community connections rooted in the values of labor, mentorship, and conservation.
“This is a community-building event, and it shows what labor brings to our neighborhoods,” said Martiny, vice-president of Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association (OPCMIA). “We partnered with the Boys and Girls Club, and several of them came with their sponsors, who had never fished before. Everyone wanted pictures with their fish, which took some patience because getting a kid to hold a slippery fish is harder than it looks. The smiles, the laughter, and the shared moments are exactly what Dave envisioned when he helped launch this.”
Dave Coleman assisting a youth at the USA’s first Kansas City Take Kids Fishing Day.
Before lines hit the water, volunteers and families paused for a moment of silence for Coleman. Known as an avid outdoorsman and dedicated union member, he first rallied Kansas City’s unions to introduce youths to fishing back in 2020.
“This year looked a little different because he wasn’t here with us physically, but I know he would have wanted the event to continue,” said USA Director of Conservation Sam Phipps. “When you saw the smile on Dave’s face every time he helped a kid catch their first fish, you knew how much this event meant to him.”
Coleman’s legacy lived on in the hands-on mentoring provided by more than two dozen volunteers representing 12 unions, labor organizations, and community partners. Together, they donated 236 hours of service to ensure that every child learned how to bait a hook, cast a line, and safely reel in fish.
Thanks to recent stocking by the Missouri Department of Conservation and Osage Catfisheries, youths reeled in plenty of channel catfish, with some surpassing 18 inches. For many, it was the first fish they had ever caught.
“I helped at least three kids catch their very first fish,” said Andy Carmack, with the Missouri Department of Conservation. “Every participant who tried was able to catch something, and that’s always the goal. For some families, fishing is about food security, too. One hundred percent of what people catch here can be consumed, and several families took fish home to eat.”
Fisheries biologist Kelsey Andrews echoed the sentiment, noting that these opportunities in the heart of the city break down barriers to outdoor recreation. “You wouldn’t think kids could pull an 18-inch catfish out of a lake with the skyline behind them, but they can—and the smile on their faces says it all,” she said. “For families in this community, walking away with a free pole, tackle box, and the knowledge to keep fishing means less stress and more chances to be outdoors together.”
Each youth participant left with their own rod and reel to continue fishing after the event, a gift that drew excitement from both kids and parents. “They are giddy when they find out we don’t take the poles back,” Martiny said. “And sometimes the parents are even more excited than the kids.”
Despite intense heat and humidity, volunteers ensured the event remained welcoming and safe. Pat “Duke” Dujakovich, president of the Greater Kansas City AFL-CIO, handled the extra heat of the grill.
“Duke went above and beyond this year to make the event a success,” Phipps said. “It’s a powerful reminder of how unions come together to support their communities. The folks in Kansas City pour their hearts into this event every year, and that dedication is what makes it so special.”
This year’s event engaged 191 attendees with support from Ironworkers Local 10, Teamsters Local 41, Cement Masons Local 518, Insulators Local 27, Laborers Local 264, the Missouri Department of Conservation, Greater Kansas City AFL-CIO, Greater Kansas City BCTC, Working Families’ Friend, OPCMIA International, Union Insurance Group, Bank of Labor, Humana, and Crown Center Hotels.
For Martiny, continuing the event was the best way to honor her late friend. “This would not have happened without Dave,” she said. “This year, it became more than just a fishing day. It was a tribute to the power of labor and community to show kids a lifelong sport they can carry with them. That spirit will continue to guide us every year.”
