“I wanted a project for your realtor members to be involved in that would help the community so I met with the people at Haven Hospice. And with Palatka being the bass capitol of the world what better way to raise money than a bass tournament?” East said.

The idea of a bass tournament benefit was also a natural fit for East, an avid bass angler who has been a member of the St. John’s Bassmasters since 1972 and has served as president of the oldest bass club in Florida which was organized in 1970.

East joined forces with Mike Oglesbee, a veteran tournament director who provides his expertise and time free of charge each year. Since the inception of the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors Hospice Tournament in 2004, the annual benefit tournament has raised $143,000 for Haven Hospice, a hospice care provider serving Putnam, Clay and St. John’s counties. Haven Hospice offers care and emotional, social, and spiritual support for patients and their families in end-of-life scenarios

East’s organization, the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors, is Northeast Florida’s largest professional association, comprising more than 5,000 members working in all facets of the real estate industry, including residential and commercial sales as well as property management.

The 9^th annual tournament will be held Saturday out of Palatka City Dock and East said that while he has not had a chance to check things out personally the fishermen should find the fishing good.

“They are going to have great weather. Last weekend it was rough with a lot of wind and rain, but we expect a great day of fishing Saturday,” he said. “In the past there have been a lot of bedding fish, but with the warm weather we have been having a lot of the bedding is probably over. There may still be some fish on the bed and there will also be some fish in the grass up and down the river.”

Entry fee for the tournament is $110 with $2,500 guaranteed for first place and $1,000 guaranteed for the big fish of the tournament. The 80 percent payback will go to one in every seven boats. There will also be a cash drawing following the tournament for the tournament boaters.

For the non-fishermen there will be fun, barbecue and drawings for prizes prior to and during during the weigh-in event which begins at 3 p.m.

East said he has a personal interest in the work of Haven Hospice.

“People who work for Haven Hospice are very special people who give loving care to people who need it and especially the families of those people,” he said. “One of my former employes died in Haven Hospice and they took care of her in her last times, so that is very near and dear to my heart.”

 

Northeast Florida Association of Realtors Hospice Bass Tournament

Sat, Apr 28, 2012

St Johns River

Palatka City Docks

Call Call Glenn East at (904) 394-9132 or Nancie Zimmerman at (386) 325-2965

www.nefarbass.org