BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Aug. 25, 2004) — Professional bass anglers weren’t the only ones casting for fish and prizes during the 2004 Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship presented by Castrol, held Aug. 11-14 on Logan Martin Lake in Birmingham. While championship contenders were out on the water, 10 sponsor mascots were also trying their best to land healthy limits of fish during the first-ever FLW Outdoors Sponsor Mascot Tournament. The mascots were fishing for charity as well as bragging rights, as FLW Outdoors pledged to donate $1,000 to the Children’s Miracle Network in the name of the winning mascot’s company.
After four days of bracket-style competition at the Fujifilm Trout Pond, Fujifilm’s mascot, Foto, came out on top. Foto beat out nine other sponsor mascots for the honor: Tony the Tiger from Kellogg’s; Energizer Bunny; Frito Lay’s Chester Cheetah; Tyson’s Curly the Pig, Cowvin the Cow and Buddy the Chicken; Solar Bat; Eagle Claw’s Ernie the Eagle; and EverStart Battery. The Fujifilm Trout Pond was set up in the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, site of the world-class outdoor show surrounding the tournament.
Tracy Pharo with the Children’s Hospital of Alabama, a Children’s Miracle Network member hospital, was on hand Aug. 14 to accept the check from FLW Outdoors. She said the generous donation would be a great help to the hospital.
“We’re so proud that FLW Outdoors thought to make us the benefactor of the first-ever Sponsor Mascot Tournament,” Pharo said. “The $1,000 donation will be very helpful in keeping the children of Alabama healthy.”
FLW Outdoors officials said the child-friendly Sponsor Mascot Tournament was a huge success.
“The tournament helped introduce the next generation of anglers to the sport of fishing and taught them the importance of conservation efforts through the catch-and-release format,” said Bill Petrowiak, vice president of marketing and communications for FLW Outdoors. “We’re proud that we could get kids hooked on fishing and help the Children’s Hospital of Alabama at the same time.”
FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, the world’s most lucrative bass-tournament series; the EverStart Series, the pathway to the Wal-Mart FLW Tour; and the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, the weekend tournament series designed for working anglers. FLW Outdoors also operates the Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail, the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour and the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League.
Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors is the world’s leading marketer of competitive fishing. Wal-Mart serves as the title sponsor of FLW Outdoors as it has since 1997. For a complete list of FLW Outdoors sponsors and more information about them, please visit FLWOutdoors.com’s sponsor page.
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