Evening Rotary to honor former member, raise funds

Published 6:22 pm Thursday, June 1, 2017

The Washington (evening) Rotary Club is set to honor a long-time member at its eighth-annual fishing tournament tomorrow.

For the second year in a row, the fundraiser now known as the Charlie Griffin Memorial Fishing Tournament will celebrate Griffin, who died of cancer in 2015. The tournament was one of the last events Griffin attended before his passing, according to Bill Wall, treasurer of Evening Rotary.

“The tournament really took off about two years ago when Charlie died,” Wall said. “We’ve doubled our budget since then.”

Sponsorships from local companies give needed financial support to make the tournament a reality. The club offered gold, silver and bronze sponsorships, which also included tournament spots. Wall said sponsorships increased when organizers decided to dedicate it to Griffin.

The club forwards all proceeds to various organizations across the county. Some of these include Eagle’s Wings, the Boys & Girls Club and Beaufort County Community College. The club actively works to provide multiple scholarships to Beaufort County students, according to Wall.

“When you’re in Rotary, the thing that you do is help people,” Wall said.

Rotary Club is also partnering with Angels N Camo for a second year to help make the tournament a success. Angels N Camo is an organization that helps children with life-threatening illnesses fulfill their hunting and fishing dreams.

“Last year we had 10 or so kids come from Angels N Camo,” Wall said. “And to see the excitement on their faces … you just can’t describe it.”

About 50 people came out to the tournament last year, and even more are expected to attend tomorrow, Wall said.

Registered fishers will receive a T-shirt with a fishhook on the back and text that reads, “The Charlie.” Bill’s Hot Dogs will provide food at the event.

The fishing tournament will be held at Havens Gardens on River Road. It starts at 6 a.m., and the last weigh-in is at noon. The public is invited to view those registered compete.