America’s Oldest Largest Freshwater Family Derby and Vermont Icon partner to spread green and blue message
Vermont’s unique Green Up Day is like spring cleaning, only bigger. Thousands of Vermonters of all ages and all walks of life come together to clean up and spruce up their communities. Volunteers pick up litter from roadsides, waterways and public places.
Vermont was the first state to designate a special day to clean up the entire state. Started in 1970 by Governor Deane Davis, our unique tradition continues with Green Up Day celebrated annually the first Saturday in May.
“We are very fortunate to have the natural resources we do at our disposal here in Vermont,” said Lake Champlain International, Inc. director James Ehlers, “and we intend to do our part as an angling community to ensure our children have the same or better opportunities in the future. Pitching in to keep our blue waters ‘green’ is a natural for our already environmentally conscious fishing family, and we are delighted to bring the energy and enthusiasm of the 125,000-plus anglers fishing Vermont to the outstanding efforts of Melinda Vieux and her Green Up staff and volunteers.”
“We at Green Up are very grateful to have LCI Fishing Derbies team up with Green Up,” reports Melinda Vieux, Executive Director of Green Up Vermont. “Vermont is such a special place. I look forward to building a strong partnership with anglers of all ages to join forces in keeping our dear state special by picking up litter when we see it and by living the Green Up way every day – respecting the spaces where we live, work and play and picking up where it’s needed.”
The LCI Fishing Derbies, sponsored in part by Yamaha Outboards, include the 24th Annual Father’s Day Derby, the 5-month long 12th Annual All Season Tournament, the 6th annual LCI Lake Champlain Bass Open and the 5th Annual LCI Little Anglers Derby.
Fishing generates over 100 million dollars a year for the state of Vermont, and the LCI Derbies are an important part of that. Based on previous figures, the three-day event alone directly contributes 3 million in current dollars to the Lake Champlain Region economy all the while bringing families together out of doors.
The LCI Derbies are organized by Lake Champlain International, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization leading the effort to conserve, restore and revitalize the Lake Champlain watershed and its rural communities. Since 1982, the organization has contributed to numerous fisheries restoration projects, clean water initiatives and sustainable economics. For information, call 802.879.3466. Or write, Lake Champlain International, Inc., 531 Main Street, Colchester VT 05446. Email can be sent to [email protected]
A not-for-profit organization called Green Up Vermont carries out the responsibility for keeping Green Up growing, so our children can proudly “Grow up with Green Up.” For more information, call 802-229-4586 or 1-800-974-3259;
By: LCI/GreenUp
