3rd Annual Wounded Soldiers Fishing Tournament!!!

[Gunny BBS]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am for the second year now helping promote a tournament of a different nature. In conjunction with NOVA Bass Anglers of Maryland I am helping them put together people to help with the Wounded Soldiers Fishing Tournament on the Potomac River on 3 June 2006. What is this tournament you may ask, well it's not a Bass Tournament, it's a tournament to show the men and women of our Armed Forces who are recovering from injuries received in the line of duty at Watler Reed Army, and Bethseda Naval Hospital that we care!!!

The first year was rather small an not advertised much, but last year with the help of angler from other website we were able to provide these Hero's a day on the water, that some said, was the best time they had ever had!! We provide our time and our equipment to take a troop out fishing on the Potomac River for the day, we allow them to fish for anything they want, after all this day is all about them! We have a BBQ at noon for them, some more fishing in the afternoon, and an official weigh-in. They can use live bait, chicken livers for catfish anything they want. Sponsor are encouraged!

We cannot give the troops money for the tournament, but we can give them gift cards, last year over $8000 in gift cards were awarded to the troops, everyone got something. You may see pictures from last years event at www.NOVABassanglers.com, this year we will hold the tournament as pervious years out of Colombia Island Marina in Alexandria VA, adjcent to the Pentagon Lagoon.

We have had anglers are far away as South Carolina bring their boats up to participate. This year I already have guys coming from FL, PA, SC and 1 possible from TX!!! So if any of you would like to donate you time and boat to take a troop fishing for day please let me know so I can get your name on the list. This event will be covered by ESPN. Any sponsors wanting to donate their product to this great event may do so by contacting myself at scott.favors@usmc.mil, since most of the troops do not own boats or fish very much, (for some last year was the 1st time they had ever fished before in their lives) any fishing related products donated will be raffled off for the boat captains, all money raised from the raffle will be used to purchase gift cards. Any money donated will also be done the same way, if you would like to donate a gift card you may do so, again contact myself.

I know this may sound like I'm asking for hand outs, well to be honest I am, but this is not just for any run of the mill event. These men and women put there lives on the line so we can be here today and enjoy the things we do, I feel I owe it them to show them, if at least for 1 day a good time!! We are working on having a banner made, so any sponsors that donate we will try to have their name on the banner, if it isn't (because of time line) they will be mentioned at the awards ceremony!! So far we have some major players in the bass fishing industry involved and hope to receive more in the coming days. Thank you for allowing me to post what I believe to be a worth while event!!

Added note: 3 June 2006 is a free fishing day on the Potomac River, therefore if you want to come and are out of state you DO NOT need to purchase a fishing permit for that day!! But it is for that day only, so if you want to stay longer you will need to get a D.C. permit, and possibly either a Maryland or Virginia, if you go below the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.