Future Fisherman Foundation and Lew’s Tackle Company
Issue 100th High School Grant of 2018 Season
(July 24th 2018) The Future Fisherman Foundation (F3), a 501C3 Non-Profit and the Lew’s Tackle Company recently celebrated the important milestone of having issued it’s 100th High School Grant of the season last week at ICAST. The worlds largest fishing trade show showcased High School Fishing on the final of the show by inviting hundreds of High School Fishing teams to the event for the first time. During that day of celebration, Lew’s and F3 took the time to savor their programs success with Head coach Jason Foss and team members Dylan Westhelle and Joey Bloom from Oviedo High School and the Seminole County Fishing team.
“Our fishing team started with students at Oviedo High School and has now blossomed into the Seminole County Bass Fishing team” stated Foss. “Getting an opportunity to participate in the Lew’s Grant program has really helped our team grow as we use the Lew’s products as prizes and raffle items at our charity tournament that we run every year. Being able to either raffle or auction off these items allows us to raise money to help cover our travel expenses to events like the High School World Finals and the High School National Championship. It also helps us if we have a student who is in need of top quality equipment but can’t afford it on their own. We can’t thank Lew’s enough for helping teams like ours continue to grow the sport of High School Fishing” added Foss.
(Seminole County Bass Fishing Team members Dylan Westhelle, coach Jason Foss, Joey Bloom and Lew’s Field Activation Mgr. Mike Eutsler)
Both Westhelle and Bloom, who are both juniors at the club, also stated that the Lew’s Speed Spool reels are part of their equipment arsenal that helped this team become champions of this rapidly growing club that now supports 16 two-person teams.
“The Future Fisherman Foundation is proud to partner with Lew’s on this terrific program” stated F3 Executive Director Mark Gintert. “The intent of this program was to help High School teams grow the sport of High School fishing by rewarding those groups that are trying to make a difference in their communities. Getting students off the couch and back into the great outdoors has always been one of our goals at F3 and being able to partner with a great company like Lew’s to help accomplish that goal is very rewarding for us” added Gintert.
The Lew’s High School grant program runs annually from January 1st to September 30th and awards teams one of three grant levels depending on their team size and other factors that make up the grant application. Teams can apply by going to futurefisherman.org or Lews.com.
About the Future Fisherman Foundation
Established in 1986, the Future Fisherman Foundation (F3) unites the sportfishing industry and a nationwide network of state outdoor educators, national conservation groups, youth organizations and other educators dedicated to introducing America’s youth to angling, conservation and the outdoors lifestyle. The Future Fisherman Foundation (F3) operates under The Bass Federation (TBF) umbrella of companies and is the official education arm of TBF. For more info visit futurefisherman.org.