Fishing for a Cause

How about a little spring weather my friends! Bright sunshine and warm afternoons has turned the crappie on across the lower Midwest, and according to my various social media outlets, a lot of anglers are getting in on the action. There's a big tournament coming up on Kentucky Lake that is going to land right on some of the best crappie fishing of the year.

The Henry County Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse has planned the Second Annual Carl Perkins Center-Tosh Farm Annual Crappie tournament for April 25, 2015 at Paris Landing on Kentucky Lake

Entry fee will be $55 per person. 100% of the application fee goes to fight child abuse and aid in the healing process. Applications can be found at local stores and online at www.carlperkinscenter.org, the tournament Facebook page or at the Center at 204 N. Brewer St. Applications must be postmarked by April 17, 2015 ($10 late fee per person after that).

The Center is partnering with Tosh Farms again and various sponsors to host this year's crappie tournament to raise money to benefit the prevention of child abuse in this community and aid in the healing process after abuse has occurred. Fishermen will begin by having their hooks in the water at 6:30 A.M. and are allowed to fish until 3 P.M. The weigh in will take place at Paris Landing.

Entry fee includes the Big Fish Contest for a prize of $250. There will be a payout total of $1000 payable to 1st, 5th, 8th, 10th, and last place. There will be other prizes as well from Southern Pro, Minn-Kota, Humminbird, Kroger, and the Crappie Wizard to name a few. These will be distributed at the weigh in. See a board member to donate for a chance to win a $1000 tackle box, trolling motor or depth finder. There will be a guide trip given away by the Crappie Wizard, and there will also be a guide trip donated by Bruce Mayfield for a child and his/her parent.

County Director, Catherine Herrera said, "Last year the fishermen and the community were awesome, and we had 35 teams participate. It was a lot of fun and we raised over $8500 to work with our county's abused children and their families. This year fishing teams can fish with a minor fisherman to help encourage children to be outdoors."

The mission of the Carl Perkins Center is to provide support to families in preventing and dealing with child abuse in West Tennessee and to help both parents and children meet the practical needs of preserving and improving the quality of family life. The Center's goals are two-fold. They provide services to strengthen families to prevent abuse and provide services to put families back together and literally save the lives of children. The overall objective is to break the cycle of abuse now and for future generations thus treating the cause rather than just the symptoms of the problem. The center collaborates with many agencies in the community including the DCS and law enforcement.

Services they currently offer are victim advocacy, forensic interviews, evidence-based national parenting programs, relative care provider services(in home and support groups), Stewards of Children (national sexual abuse prevention training), Forever Parents Divorcing Parent classes, hygiene closet, parent aid/mentor programs(in home), 24-hour crisis hotline, and community awareness programs. Their goal is to take their current services and assist the many organizations that Henry County already has in place to expand their work with families to give them the tools to be strong and successful.

The Center is excited to help host this tournament with Event Sponsor: Tosh Farms, our Reel Sponsor: Edward Jones Financial and Take Me Back Café, and our Big Fish Sponsors: Lakeway IGA, East Wood Clinic, Foundation Bank, HCMC, Quality Inn, Kreg Kyle, and Commercial Bank and Trust.

This is a great cause and an excellent time to be on the water chasing big crappie! For more information contact Catherine Herrara at 731-513-0574 or by email at henry@carlperkinscenter.org.

Josh M. Gowan

Outdoors Writer, Crappie Angler Magazine

www.joshgowanoutdoors.com