"We will write your name on the first fish," jokes McGill. 



After feeling a tug on the line, Baldwin reels in a small spot "It was 

 exciting feeling the fish on the line," she says. "I thought I had caught a 

 really big fish." 



Baldwin is legally blind and competing in the annual N.C. Lions 

 Visually Impaired Persons (VIP) Fishing Tournament. 



Each fall, volunteers are paired with legally blind persons for the 

 tournament. Some fish at piers. Others go on head boats into the sounds. 



"It is a great opportunity for recreational experiences for the blind 

 and also helps them gain independence," says Debbie Jackson, director 

 of the N.C. Services for the Blind. "It is important for blind people to get 

 involved." 



Mary Carlyle, a VIP participant from Richland, agrees. 



"It is a lot of fun," says Carlyle. "You get to meet a lot of people." 



LIONS EVENT 



Sponsored by the First Flight, Nags Head, Manteo, Wanchese, 

 Columbia and Plymouth Lions clubs, the 2004 tournament attracted 

 almost 400 blind or visually impaired people ages 1 2 to 91 . 



"This is one of the few projects that you can walk 

 next to those you serve and feel their excitement and ^ , 



appreciation," says Gwen White, president of First Flight 

 Lions Club and tournament director. 



The tournament, which drew people from 77 

 counties, is the largest gathering of blind and visually 

 impaired people in North Carolina, according to the 

 Services for the Blind. 



In North Carolina, about 23,700 blind or visually 

 impaired people are registered with the state division. 



Continued 



