USA. FLW Outdoors donates $5,000 to fund Lewis Smith Lake conservation projects

Wednesday, 19 March 2008

As part of its longstanding commitment to conservation programs nationwide, FLW Outdoors will donate $5,000 to benefit Lewis Smith Lake conservation efforts administered by the FishAmerica Foundation. The donation coincides with the upcoming Wal-Mart^™ FLW Tour^® stop hosted by the Walker County Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau in Jasper, Ala., April 3-6.

The funds will be made available to local conservation groups through a FishAmerica Foundation grant program and may be used for projects such as stock enhancement, habitat restoration and family-fishing waters improvement. Interested groups may apply for a grant through the FishAmerica Foundation Web site, www.FishAmerica.org/grants.

The FishAmerica Foundation is the conservation arm of the American Sportfishing Association, and FLW Outdoors is an organization devoted to giving something back to communities that host its tournaments. Since forming a conservation partnership with the FishAmerica Foundation in 2000, FLW Outdoors has directly contributed more than $300,000, and helped raise more than $2 million, for conservation projects nationwide.

“It’s our job to ensure that we leave a fishery is in better condition than when we arrive,” said Charlie Evans, president and CEO of FLW Outdoors. “We do this by maintaining an extremely high live-release rate and by contributing funds for conservation efforts in the host cities where our tournaments are held. Our long-term relationship with the FishAmerica Foundation demonstrates our commitment to continually improving America’s finest waters.”

The Lewis Smith Lake donation will be presented to the FishAmerica Foundation during the FLW Tour’s final weigh-in at 4 p.m. in the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex located at 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N in Birmingham. The winner of this $1 million tournament featuring participants from 37 states, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Australia and Japan will earn as much as $125,000. Admission is free.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits targeting bass, walleye, redfish, kingfish and striped bass. FLW Outdoors is also taking fishing mainstream with the largest cash awards in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 19 March 2008 )