May 10, 2018, Pittsgrove, NJ. Recipients of The Ike Foundation® second annual Fishing Scholarship Awards have been announced, according to Mike Iaconelli, professional bass angler and president of the foundation.
Winners are Rory Franks from OH, Morgan Miracle from KY, Eric Schuhrer III from NJ, Eric Obenaus from CA and Morgan Krell from NY. All have grade point averages of 3.3 or better, are avid anglers or contribute to outdoor conservation and are headed to college in the fall, as required for scholarship consideration.
Foundation trustees conducted a blind review of the 100+ high school seniors who applied. Applicants submitted essays about lessons they learned from their fishing experiences, along with references, grades, and information about extracurricular activities. Trustees scored submission using a pre-defined point system.
A Scholarship Benefit Dinner held in February, was attended by almost 300 people and corporate sponsors that support The Ike Foundation® in their mission to get kids fishing.
Previous Ike’s Celebrity Pro-Am Tournaments have been met with great reception from the community and bass fishing industries. Almost 20 professional bass anglers and celebrities joined in the competition. Ike’s Family Fun Fest attendees enjoyed such family-friendly activities as carnival games, auctions, music, and food, along with visits to the nearby Camden Children’s Garden and Battleship New Jersey. Every child that attended the event walked away with a brand-new Flambeau tackle box and enough free tackle to fill it. Thanks to the success of past tournaments, the foundation has been able to support other kid’s fishing programs by providing fishing equipment to approximately 30 youth community organizations across the country.
Follow The Ike Foundation® @TheIkeFoundation on Facebook, on Twitter @FoundationIke and Instagram @theikefoundation. The Ike Foundation® is a non-profit organization and all proceeds from events go to The Ike Foundation®’s mission. Tax-deductible contributions are welcome and can be made on the website via credit card.The Ike Foundation® appreciates the generous donations from individuals and sponsors, including Toyota, Abu Garcia, Bass Cat Boats, Hobie, Yamaha, Flambeau, Rapala and many, many more. A full list of sponsors is found at https://theikefoundation.org/sponsors.
The Mission of The Ike Foundation® is to get more kids fishing and in the outdoors, especially youth in areas where those activities are not readily available. We support youth fishing clubs, civic groups and charitable organizations that promote the sport of fishing, the ecology of the outdoors and the responsibility each person has to maintain our planet’s natural resources.
Founded in 2014 by professional bass angler Michael Iaconelli and his wife, Becky, The Ike Foundation® is approved by the IRS as a 501©(3) tax-exempt organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.