GRAHAMSVILLE – On Saturday, September 6, families braved the rainy weather to attend the Annual Kay Danchak Youth Expo held at the Grahamsville Fairgrounds. Upon checking in at the registration booth, each child participant received a goodie bag. Members of the Tri-Valley Lions Club were on site, distributing free sodas to every child. The club volunteers every year at the event, according to member Mike Ryan. Activities at the expo included fishing, fly casting instruction, and birdhouse building, among other things. Andy Boyar from Trout Unlimited demonstrated the correct technique for making a wide cast. He emphasized, “It teaches the kids to have an appreciation for the environment. They are the ones who will protect our water for future generations.”

 A popular highlight at the expo was the fishing pool. Children received guidance on how to properly catch fish in a controlled environment.

Brian Bunce traveled to the expo with his ‘Birds of Prey.’ The Eurasian eagle-owl was one of the birds he had on display.  As one of the world’s largest owls, the female species can grow to over two and a half feet. 

Another popular children’s activity was the birdhouse building station. Volunteers helped with the assembly of the birdhouses. After a bit of gentle hammering and construction each participant was able to take one home.

The expo was sponsored by The Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs of Sullivan County, Inc. The Tri-Valley Lions Club and Sullivan County Long Beards were co-sponsors. The Kay Danchak Memorial Youth Expo is held every year in September. After Danchak’s passing in 2018, her siblings continued to run the event, shared Kay’s brother, Ed Loughrey. “She’s the one who originally started the youth day, and then when she passed away, we named it in her honor.”

Some of the organizations that were in attendance were the Catskill Fish Hatchery, Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, Diehl Farms, Grahamsville First Aid Squad, and the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department.

President of the Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, John Van Etten, helped man the birdhouse station. After the expo, Van Etten said, “I think the event went well and the young folks all had a good time.  Unfortunately, the rain cut down the turnout quite a bit this year.  We have an amazing crew of volunteers who make it all happen, and I’m thankful for their hard work.  I heard an idea being tossed around for an additional activity for the kids to do next year that was very exciting.  I am, of course, sworn to secrecy on such matters, but I’m sure the young people will really, really like it!”