News Photo by Kaitlin Ryan Michigan Brown Trout festival volunteer Roger Barc, affectionately known as “Fish Doctor,” weighs in a lake trout on Monday afternoon. Barc is one of many volunteers who make the success of the tournament possible.

ALPENA — A large reason the Michigan Brown Trout Festival has been able to endure for the last 44 years is because of the dedication of volunteers, service groups and sponsors, festival organizers say.

But some say it’s getting harder to find volunteers, without whom it is likely the festival and fishing tournament could suffer.

Karen Kindt has been a volunteer at the festival for more that 30 years as a member of the Moose Lodge. She said she works in the trailer, doing registrations and other paperwork.

Over the years, she has worked the ticket booth and served drinks in the tent, among other things.

Kindt said volunteering is a way to give back to the community and to make sure the festival is the best it can be. She said she also does it because it’s a good time and allows her to reconnect with friends and family she doesn’t often see.

“This festival is good for the community and brings people not only from Michigan, but from surrounding states too,” she said. “The people are fabulous, the entertainment is fabulous and you see people who you haven’t seen in years who come home for this. It is just a good place to socialize and just have a lot of fun, while helping a good cause.”

Dick Cadarette has been a volunteer since 1991 and can be found doing many things, including recording the weight of the fish that are caught and updating the leaderboard.

He said many of the volunteers are getting older and an infusion of younger volunteers is needed. Cadarette said that will help ensure the festival continues for many more years.

“For some reason, it is hard to get the volunteers and it really is an easy job,” Cadarette said. “It is important because we are running out of people and soon we are going to need a lot of help.”

In the past, there has been talk about shortening the tournament and reducing the size of the big tent, or doing away with that all together. The public outcry held off the changes and some new blood was added to the list of volunteers.

Ernie Butterfield began volunteering at the festival about four years ago after fishing in the tournament for years. He said his uncle, Roger Barc, suggested it to him and now he has become a regular at the weigh-in trailer.

“My uncle needed someone to help him and told me to come down and it is a blast. It is not hard work and you’ll have a lot of fun if you come help,” Butterfield said. “We have fun with the people and everyone else involved with the festival.”

Steve Schulwitz can be reached via email at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5689. Follow Steve on Twitter ss_alpenanews.