Now in its 15th year, the Key Colony Beach Kids Fishing Derby on the morning of June 15 saw 48 young anglers and 20 parent volunteers take to the seas aboard the Marathon Lady. Free for children ages 6 to 14, the tournament offered kids the opportunity to enjoy a day on the reef while competing to catch and release the largest fish within their age divisions (6 to 8, 9 to 11, and 12 to 14). Following the trip, anglers were treated to a lunch at the Key Colony Inn and a litany of door prizes, along with first-, second- and third-place trophies for those who managed to reel in the largest catches of the day.
KCB police chief and derby organizer Kris DiGiovanni was one of two officers on board the Marathon Lady. He deemed the derby’s return after a two-year COVID hiatus a resounding success. “It’s kind of cliche, but you want kids to look up to police officers as someone who’s helping, someone they can go fishing with,” he said. While officers and parents were on hand to help, DiGiovanni said the junior anglers needed little supervision and were locked in on the task at hand as soon as the boat left the dock.
Volunteer chaperones enjoy a beautiful day for fishing aboard the Marathon Lady. From left: KCB police officer Ross Bethard, derby judges Brian Russell, Rich Malafy and Jerry Ong, KCB police chief Kris DiGiovanni, Ron Teke. CONTRIBUTED 
Volunteers serve up lunch at the Key Colony Inn. 
Junior anglers wet their lines on the reef. 
First-, second- and third-place winners in each of the derby’s age categories hoist their trophies at the derby awards ceremony. 
Junior anglers wet their lines on the reef. 
KCB police captain Kris DiGiovanni accepts a plaque commemorating 15 years of commitment to the city of Key Colony and the annual derby. 
Volunteers made the tournament’s return a resounding success after two years off. From left: KCB commissioner Beth Ramsay-Vickrey, Becky DiGiovanni, Jane Zaydon, police chief Kris DiGiovanni, Ken Duffy, KCB commissioner Ron Sutton, Joey Raspe, Karen Raspe, KCB mayor Patricia Trefry, Claire Duffy, Kitty Sutton.
“I don’t think I raised my voice this year at all,” he laughed.
The derby organizers extend a special thanks to more than 60 community sponsors and volunteers who made the event possible, including: the Tania Teke Memorial Fund, fysportswear.com, the KCB Fishing and Boating Club, Key Colony Inn, the cities of Key Colony Beach and Marathon, the Marathon Lady, the Gonzalez Brothers, Dolphin Research Center, Marathon Sail & Power Squadron, Superior Electric, Ron and Kitty Sutton, and the Marshwood Foundation.
“When you look at the sponsors who have been there since the first tournament, it’s amazing that they have no questions and no issues to say, ‘Hey, if you’re doing the derby again this year, we’re in for it,’” said DiGiovanni. “People are so gracious to keep giving.”
