From One Fishing Day to a Community Tradition
Kids with Disabilities Adventures began more than 37 years ago as a modest fishing day for 16 children with disabilities at Payson Lakes, organized by brothers Mike and Kevin Pritchett. It has since grown into a fixture of the community, run entirely by volunteers and built around the conviction that physical or developmental challenges should not keep a child from experiencing nature. The group's signature events include an annual Kids Fishing Day at Salem Pond, along with all-inclusive turkey hunts and big game guiding experiences designed around each participant.[S1]
Adaptive equipment and hands-on volunteer support are central to how the organization operates, turning environments that can feel intimidating into safe and welcoming spaces. Organizers say the point is not simply catching a fish or tracking game but fostering peer connections, family memories and durable self-esteem. Since its founding, the group reports that thousands of young people have taken part in its annual fishing event, while hundreds more have joined its outdoor adventures.[S1]
A Deer Hunt and a Teenager's Cancer Fight
Among the participants the organization highlights is Cru Morrison, a Lehi resident who has spent the past year battling osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer. According to the nonprofit, a deer hunt adventure gave Morrison a reminder of his own strength. Mike Pritchett, the founder and president, said the experience fueled the teenager's ability to take on something difficult, describing that outcome as powerful.[S1]
Pritchett has cited additional long-term outcomes as proof of what the initiative can accomplish. He remembered that one of the first outdoor excursions was organized for a boy whose parents had been told a state hospital placement was their best choice. As Pritchett tells it, that hunting outing transformed the child: he became a confident working family man who now helps others, rather than someone others wished to institutionalize. Pritchett further noted that these adventures foster confidence in everything from driving lessons to earning a diploma, and help youngsters see their own capabilities. He said every child has finished each program phase, from hunter safety instruction through the concluding adventure.[S1]
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Volunteers, Sponsors and Word of Mouth
The organization runs on volunteer power and depends heavily on community generosity, mentorship and event sponsorships. Its first hunt was launched alongside Doug Miller for his outdoors show, and the group has since appeared multiple times on KSL's Outdoors with Adam Eakle, whose host joins the children on hunting trips.[S1]
Families may request an outdoor experience straight through the Kids with Disabilities Adventures website, although Pritchett noted that numerous participants come by way of personal connections. He spoke of enjoying talks with youngsters at the yearly fishing event and listening to their accounts at local hunting expos. He also remembered encountering a family at a Costco the week before and, upon hearing their story, asking their young son to join the upcoming outdoor adventure. The organization's site says each team member is dedicated to helping every child feel supported, empowered and able to explore nature, and that the group strives to deliver joy, foster confidence and build a setting where children and families flourish. Details and ways to donate can be found at kwdadventures.org.[S1]
