Auction to Benefit the NC Lions Visually Impaired Persons Fishing Tournament
Published 1:25 pm Wednesday, March 4, 2020
- Jason Waughtel, left, senior executive of Southern Bank was on Jennette’s Fishing Pier with a team of Dare County Southern Bank executives to present a $5,000 check to the NC Lions Visually Impaired Person’s Fishing Tournament. Southern Bank is the signature sponsor of this year’s “Night for Sight Auction,” to fund the tournament. Accepting the check is Ron Curtis, immediate past president of the VIP Board, Board Member Bill Grogg, and Executive Director Gwen White. Representing the bank were Tripp Phillips, Michele Godsey, Sonya Payne and Penny Bentley. (Photo by Michael Schwartz)
A “Night for Sight” dinner and auction with chances to be in a reality show, buy a trip to ride on a Rose Bowl Parade float on New Year’s Day in Pasadena, CA, get sports memorabilia, escape on a get-away, choose from several trips, full-day offshore fishing trips, one-of-a-kind design by Jewelry By Gail, a fish fry for 20 or more people, and much more will be available April 4 in Kitty Hawk.
Southern Bank is the signature sponsor of this annual event which is to raise funds for the blind and visually impaired and will be held at Duck Woods Country
Club in Southern Shores on Saturday, April 4, opening at 5:30 PM. Tickets for this fundraising dinner and event are just $40 per person.
Proceeds from this benefit will fund the 38th Annual NC Lions Visually Impaired Persons Fishing Tournament in October. “The tournament provides a three-day event for educational, recreational, and personal growth opportunities to serve
North Carolina’s visually impaired persons, and to provide a venue for a national fishing tournament,” said Robert Walton, the tournament’s president. “This tournament has been verified as the largest event of its kind in the world and it is held right here on the Outer Banks.”
At the auction, guests will browse the area displaying t sections of silent auction items while enjoying a night of exciting and creative enjoyment. Each of these areas will close at staggered times to allow bidders to watch over coveted items before moving to the next silent auction area. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. A live auction with professional auctioneer Justin Swisher will begin at 7:30 p.m.
“The local Dare County community and Lions from across the state are donating items that are sure to please everyone and hopefully big bargains can be expected,” said Walton said. “The real winners of this auction will be the visually impaired that we Lions serve. Won’t you please help us make this a big success?”
A few of the items collected include autographed sporting memorabilia from
UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, NC State, the Carolina Hurricanes, accommodations on the
Outer Banks, trips to the states and abroad, golfing packages, an African Safari, jewelry, pottery, antique items in an estate section, and much more. Anyone interested in donating items, sponsoring a table, or buying tickets should call
Gwen White, executive director of the VIP Tournament program, at 252-441-4966 or 252-202-2329 or whiteink1@earthlink.net . Tickets to attend are limited.
There is a saying at Jeanette’s Pier that reads, “If you are lucky enough to be fishing, you are lucky enough.” Sighted anglers have little trouble finding that special spot where the fishing is always great. Visually impaired anglers often have to stay put, waiting for somebody to call and offer them a ride to that special place. Although most would argue, we all fish blindly!
Thanks to the Lions of North Carolina, this VIP Fishing Tournament provides an opportunity to these people to enjoy the pleasure of fishing.