Honorary Chairperson FLW Tour pro James Watson Leads Charge To Raise More Than $60,000 in 2017 Event
Every year the FLW Tour makes an annual trek to northwest Arkansas to visit Beaver Lake. However, the action doesn’t stop after the tournament is finished. The FLW Will Fish for Kids (WFFK) Bill Kerr Memorial Charity Tournament Lake, presented by Quaker State, took place on Beaver Lake Monday following the conclusion of the Beaver Lake Tour stop.
Once the final count had been tallied, the 2017 event raised a total of $60,703 for the Dental Clinic at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Since 2005, WWFK has raised a grand total of $1,001,297 for the clinic.
“This money is going directly to our dental unit at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock,” said Elizabeth Sullivan, the Arkansas Children’s Hospital senior development officer, annual gifts. “For the pros to stick around a few extra days to help raise money for our community – it’s just special and a really great event. Everyone has so much fun and it’s for such a great cause. We’re truly excited and thankful for FLW and Walmart for this event.”
FLW Tour pro James Watson of Lampe, Missouri, was the WFFK honorary chairperson this year. Entry fees paid by pro contestants and Walmart employees, as well as corporate boat sponsorships, were collected prior to the tournament. That money was combined with funds raised at Sunday night’s banquet and silent auction and the check for more than $60,000 was delivered on-stage to Sullivan.
The fishing tournament was won by FLW Tour pro Scott Martin and David Hunter. The duo had a fantastic day on Beaver Lake, catching a five-bass limit that weighed 14 pounds, 14 ounces – larger than any limit that crossed the scale Sunday during the final day of the FLW Tour event. Though the charity tournament was not nearly as strenuous or stressful as the FLW Tour event, catching a solid limit on a muddy Beaver Lake was still quite a feat.
“We had a lot of fun today, but at the end of the day this is all for a really great cause,” said Martin, the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup champion and 2015 FLW Angler of the Year. “My hat is off to FLW and Walmart for all of the money that they raise for the Children’s Hospital. It is an honor to be a part of this. My partner David is a great fisherman and I hope we get to do this again.”
The top 10 teams finished the tournament:
1st: Scott Martin and David Hunter, five bass, 14-14, $3,000
2nd: Jeremy Thomas, five bass, 13-12, $2,000
3rd: Old Spice pro Greg Bohannan and Jason Adams, five bass, 13-7, $500
3rd: Jim Moynagh and Milton Polk, five bass, 13-7, $500
5th: Yamamoto Baits pro Larry Nixon and Jeff George, five bass, 12-14
6th: General Tire pro Mark Rose and Jim Enneking, five bass, 12-12
7th: Jason Sanders and Brian Gripe, four bass, 12-6
8th: Shane Michele and Bobby Dennis, five bass, 11-15
8th: Keith Daffron and Ronnie Davidson, five bass, 11-15
10th: Ben Fulcher and Don Herbert, five bass, 11-14
The Will Fish for Kids charity auction and tournament was started in 1992. In 2015, the tournament was renamed to the Will Fish for Kids – Bill Kerr Memorial Charity Tournament in memory of the late Bill Kerr.
Kerr lived most of his life in Bentonville and worked for Walmart Stores Inc. for over 25 years. For the last several years Kerr had been with Outdoor Cap, Inc. He also served on the board of Igloo Corporation. Bill enjoyed fishing and was a constant and enthusiastic supporter of the Will Fish for Kids tournament and Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
All the money donated through this event goes to the Dental Clinic at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Dental problems are the number one reason for children missing school and if a child has dental problems, it has a direct effect on their overall health.
The Dental Clinic at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital also provides pediatric dental care for children with significant medical and/or developmental problems.
To learn more about the Dental Clinic at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital visit ARChildrens.org.
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2017 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW conducts more than 274 bass-fishing tournaments annually across the United States and sanctions tournaments in Canada, China, Mexico, South Africa and South Korea. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros.
By: Joe Opager, Director of Public Relations
