Vannetta Groeteke, a Farmington High School graduate, has written a book with proceeds going to a charity.
This photograph of Vannetta Groeteke was taken on Table Rock Lake at a fishing tournament just last year. The tournament was a charity fishing event put on by Fish Tales which is the charity to which all her book proceeds are donated.
Each year at Fish Tales, the charity to which all proceeds from Groeteke’s book goes, hosts several fishing guides and tournament fishermen to take special-needs individuals on a fishing adventure. Last year, this young woman is who Groeteke and her husband were paired with. The couple enjoyed “getting to see that young lady and hear her squeal with delight was priceless.”
Grandparents pass down family traditions, heritage and history to their grandchildren. They share stories and create such a strong bond with them that makes a lasting connection.
The relationship between grandchildren and grandparents is one based on love, adoration and precious memories created together to last a lifetime.
Vannetta (Stevens) Groeteke experienced a special relationship just like this with her grandparents, Gilbert “Gib” and Retta Stevens. The couple lived in Doe Run, and Groeteke spent a lot of time with her beloved grandparents. Their favorite thing to do together was to fish. They traveled to many places, including Clearwater, Greenville, Wappapello, and many local creeks and rivers to enjoy their favorite pastime.
Although her grandparents died many years ago, Groeteke fondly recalls many memories spent with her grandparents. She and her grandpa especially enjoyed fishing together. Her grandpa taught her to be patient, as that is a real factor when fishing. He also taught her how to bait her own hook and how to remove her own fish from the hook. He told her stories about when he was little. They fished together for perch, bass, carp and catfish. Usually her brothers had their own fishing trips with Grandpa.
Groeteke relies on her memory to recall special times with her grandparents. She wishes she had a photograph of her with her grandparents fishing, but all of her photographs were destroyed when a tornado flattened her home and tore through Doe Run in 1969.
The inspiration to write the book came from wanting to help special needs children through an organization called Fish Tales. All of her profits from the sale of her book are donated to the organization.
Groeteke grew up in the area. She graduated from Farmington High School in 1974 and Mineral Area College in 1976.
She moved away from the area to Springfield to attend college years ago. Her mother, Shirley Maxson, brothers Roger and Douglas Stevens, and cousins still live in Farmington and Doe Run.
Vannetta Groeteke’s cousin Bill Bess of Farmington and his granddaughter read Groeteke’s book together as soon as Bess received his copy. Then he and wife Donna took their granddaughter fishing just a few days later. Bess said reading her book to his granddaughter inspired them to take her fishing for the first time.
She married Gary in 1980. They have two sons, Ryan and Brett, and six granddaughters: Madison, Addison, Kinsley, Jaycelyn, Brilee and Ava. She is now retired from a career where she traveled the country implementing and selling healthcare software solutions.
When Groeteke’s oldest son Ryan was 15, he wanted to become involved in fishing tournaments. She drove him around the state to various tournaments. After he had completed about the sixth tournament, Ryan told his mother that she was a better fisherman than some of the men he competed against. He asked his mother to compete with him, and she declined because there were no other women in the area who fished competitively.
Groeteke thought about what her son had said and decided to try.
In 2011, she won her first major fishing championship on Bull Shoals. She was the only female and won the championship as a co-angler.
She has since traveled the nation participating in bass fishing tournaments. She fishes on a couple circuits near her home on Table Rock Lake in Southwest Missouri near Branson.
In addition, she became one of the first female officials for Major League Fishing just last year. She will be officiating again this year. She can be seen on the Outdoor Channel as well as on the Major League Fishing website during their live coverage.
Looking back, Groeteke credits her grandparents for her love of fishing and her son for encouraging her to try her hand at fishing in tournaments.
Now, she’s taken her love of fishing and applied it to a brand-new title: children’s book author. Her initial idea for her children’s book came from wanting to assist an organization called Fish Tales. The founder of the nonprofit organization, J.P. Sell, works to help special-needs children and veterans go fishing. The charity organization is based in Rogersville. More information can be found on Facebook: Fish-4-Tales.
Groeteke’s book is titled “Thanks Grandpa for Taking Me Fishing.” It’s the true story of when she was 6 years old and went fishing with her grandfather at Table Rock Lake. Nikki Turvin, of Licking, did the illustrations for the book.
When Groeteke is not fishing, she shares her love for the sport by conducting seminars to teach children and adults the basics of fishing, plays golf, takes nature walks, and spends time with family and friends.
Pam Clifton is a contributing writer for the Daily Journal
February 16, 2021 at 01:38AM
https://ift.tt/3u5EUDQ
Author recalls fishing with Grandpa - Daily Journal Online
https://ift.tt/35JkYuc
Fish
No comments:
Post a Comment