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Angler's Profiles
by Hugh Markey
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| A series of articles introducing RISAA members to the rest of the club. |
| (From the September, 2004 Newsletter) Joan and Charles Bradbury |
| Charlie Bradbury had been
wandering along the shores of South County since three o’clock in the
morning. He had been searching for an elusive half of a puzzle: a
striper worthy of entry in the RISAA striper/bluefish tournament. He
had already recorded a good-sized blue for one part of the contest, but
the stripers have yet to cooperate. Hours later, he called it a
day knowing he’d be out again soon, searching for that big one that
would put him into the running. Back at home, Joan answers the phone when I call about the angler’s profile. It’s a bit unusual, I tell her, but I thought it would be good to profile the two of them. She hesitates. “Well, I don’t know all that much about fishing… although I did manage to win a prize in a tournament last year!” she admits. “Maybe you could call back when Charlie’s here, and we’ll put you on the speaker phone.” Later, I answer the phone to hear Charlie Bradbury’s voice. Despite the fact that he’s been up half the night and has mown 
the lawn besides, he sounds cheerful. After commiserating on his
current run of luck, Charlie puts me on the speakerphone. Both
Bradburys have something to say here, and somehow that seems
fitting. After 39 years of marriage, Charlie and Joan Bradbury
continue to share two things in common: a love of fishing and a strong
belief in volunteerism. FISH TALK A wedding photographer is arranging a bridal party for pictures in Roger Williams Park. As the group assembles, someone spots a group of boys fishing in a nearby pond. A comment is made (though Charlie swears he wasn’t the one to make it) that Charlie might be happier fishing than getting married. Inspiration strikes, and in a few minutes, the photographer has borrowed the fishing poles and placed them in the hands of the wedding party. Reflecting on the fishing/wedding photos, Charlie says, “Joan knew what she was getting into before we were married.” Joan agrees. “I spent many nights wandering around the lawn with a flashlight looking for nightcrawlers,” she laughs. Her own involvement with the sport didn’t blossom until years after the wedding when the family acquired their first boat. Although she confesses she usually prefers leisurely rides to chasing fish, Joan is also proud of her recent fishing accomplishment. “I entered the RISAA bluefish tournament last year,” she says. “I wound up getting the prize for second place for the fish I caught. How much was it, Charlie?” “Eight point nine five pounds,” Charlie says proudly. (It may be worth noting that he produces this figure much faster than he recalls how long he’s been married, though I choose not to point that out at the moment…) By his own description, Charlie has been “fishing, swimming, or water skiing all my life.” Growing up in Warwick, Charlie spent most of his early years on Warwick Pond. When the time came, he shared his love of the sport with his children. Along the way, the two discovered a new fishing organization that seemed to be more than just a social club: the Rhode Island Saltwater Angler’s Association. TOP NOTCH VOLUNTEERS Volunteering in the community is a long-standing tradition with the Bradburys. Throughout the years, both Charlie and Joan have devoted their time to professional organizations and pitched in for local needs. Charlie has spent years as a member of the Foster Volunteer Fire Department, including the last five as chief. Helping out is an important part of both their lives, though only relatively recently have they decided to commit to a common cause. “As the kids got older, we started looking for something to do together,” Joan explains. “It was important that we find something that we could both be involved in.” Charlie had been attending a variety of fishing events, and one day he came home and told his wife about RISAA. “It sounded like they were doing good things. We liked the programs they were running, like Take-A-Kid Fishing, lobbying for preservation, and a lot more. The thing is, it wasn’t just a fun social group, it was more than that,” Joan explains. Once the decision was made to join, the couple wasted no time putting their volunteer energies to work. Today, the list of committees the Bradburys work on seems to encompass much of what RISAA is all about: the Newsletter Committee, Cruise Committee, Public Access, Boat Show, used tackle sale and more. Joan seems most proud of her work as chairperson of the Scholarship Committee. “Working on the scholarship committee has really been good. This year, we were able to award six scholarships, whereas in past years we’ve only awarded two. I was really excited about that.” On the other hand, the increase in scholarships was preceded by a flood of applications. “This year, we had fifty-seven applications. I thought, ‘Boy, this is going to be quite a meeting!’ But we divided up the applications, went through them one by one, and got the job done. The committee really did a good job, and we were really pleased that all six recipients came to the meeting to receive their awards.” For Charlie, volunteering has been good in other ways as well. “It keeps the family together. Joan knows I’m not out running around with the guys. It’s stopped a lot of arguments!” “Volunteering works both ways for us,” says Joan. “There are times when I think, ‘With all the hours we put in, maybe we should have a part time job and make some money with our time.’ But it’s important to us that we get the satisfaction out of what we do, and that’s why we volunteer. “It’s meant that we’ve met a lot of nice people, people who at times are even like a support group for you. It’s another circle of friends.” |
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