Dream Casters Society

The Way of the Water

► by Ariana Tourneur

photos: Dream Casters Society

The sky was clear, the lake quiet (save for the echo of loons), and the boat loaded with lunch and gear. Go time.

“On a weekday, it’s quiet. Sometimes the water—it’s like glass,” says Barry Dillon, volunteer with the Dream Casters Society. “We see the odd bald eagle fly by. Or get a whole part of the lake to ourselves. For the people we bring on the boat, this is therapy.”

From Parkinson’s to multiple sclerosis (MS) to PTSD to Alzheimer’s and more, illnesses or chronic disabilities are only a small hurdle for the Dream Casters team to overcome. If there’s a will, there’s a way—and considering the incontrovertible health benefits of fishing, it’s not even a question.

Adams and Dream Caster’s first client, Ed Bettin, who has MS. Since that inaugural trip in 2017, Dream Casters has scheduled trips for hundreds of clients.

How do they do it?

With only a handful of people, including Adams and Dillon, fishing guide Mike Maidens, and admin extraordinaire Pam Pierson, Alberta’s Dream Casters still makes a mighty impact. Their British Columbia base includes Marc Alexander, Randy Marquart, and guide Bill Evans. Michael Shagin in Ontario handles web and tech.

Together, they support people of any age who may suffer from PTSD, MS, Parkinson’s, cancer, heart and stroke, visual impairment, Huntington’s, diabetes, cerebral palsy, Alzheimer’s, spinal cord injuries, and more. The society has also made connections with groups like CNIB (the organization that assists Canadians who are blind or living with vision loss), Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Clubs, the Canadian Armed Forces, Alberta Corrections, fire and rescue services, RCMP, provincial and municipal police, emergency medical services (EMS), and first responders.

Clients donate, but Dream Casters continues to look for business sponsorship. Elite Promotional Marketing (Edmonton), Trans Mountain (British Columbia), Northern Mat and Bridge (Grande Prairie), and Bandit Energy Services (Lloydminster) have all come on board to provide much-appreciated support. Grants from the Edmonton Community Foundation and Cabela’s have also made a difference.