Because Every Kid Deserves A Chance
Bob Hodges founded the Take
A Kid Fishing Foundation, Inc. 19
years ago with one goal in mind:
to provide an opportunity for the
disadvantaged and disabled youth
of North Carolina to enjoy
saltwater fishing off the coast of
Morehead City while teaching
them about conservation and
our ocean environment. Hodges’ vision has grown exponentially
from 35 children in 1988 to 1,000
children in 2006.
As Take A Kid Fishing has
grown, so has its budget and need
for volunteers. With an annual
cost of $55,000 and 1,000 children
to accommodate, contributors
and volunteers
alike are the lifeline
of this Foundation.
Take A Kid
Fishing cannot express
how grateful
and appreciative
we are for all of our
volunteers, contributors
and head
boats that support
our program and
Because Every Kid Deserves A Chance
change the lives of our children
forever by giving them a once in a
lifetime opportunity.
Since Take A Kid Fishing is
solely financially supported by
donations, it is organizations
like The Swansboro Rotary Club
that keep this Foundation alive.
Members of the Swansboro Rotary
work diligently to not only
raise funds, but provide
facilities and host events
in order to continue its
partnership with Take
A Kid Fishing. We are
forever indebted to the
Swansboro Rotary Club
for the support they pro-
Every Kid Deserves a Chance
vide in order to give our children
a once in a lifetime opportunity.
If you would like to find out
more about Take A Kid Fishing
please contact Teresa Holcombe
at 252-808-8303, P.O. Box 1191,
Morehead City, NC 28557 or visit
our website at www.takf.org.

Swansboro Rotary Club
Sponsors a Variety of Events
Tideland News Report, Preprinted with permission.
Swansboro Rotary Club sponsors
a variety of fund-raisers each
year. In addition, the club works
on projects when called upon in
order to benefit the community
and beyond.
Oyster Roast: This event feeds
and entertains well over 1,400
fun-seeking, hungry folks. To
stage a project of this magnitude
in a single day requires extensive
pre-planning and many volunteer
workers on the day of the event.
To help alleviate “the cry of the
hungry,” additional oyster steamers
are on the way. Chairmen for
the event are David Barfield and
Billy Farrington.
Foundation Auction: With all
proceeds dedicated to the Swansboro
Rotary Foundation, the auction,
along with the annual pig
cook-off, allowed the club to retire
the mortgage on the civic center
much earlier than projected.
Chairman is John Ritchie.
Fishing Tournament: Serious
prize money helps make the
annual King Mackerel/Bluewater
Fishing Tournament a huge Memorial
Day success. This is the
largest and most profitable of the
club’s fund-raisers. The fishing
tournament committee is working
to further publicize and enlarge
this prestigious event. Chairmen
are Jim Davis and Stukie Payne.
Last Out Drawing: Clearly
the social event of the year, the
Last Out Drawing continues to
sell out very early. Lured by fun,
good food and the chance of winning
big money, this project has a
ready-made following. Chairmen
are Robin Comer, Greg Maready
and Jeff Hunt.
Road Race: Held in conjunction
with the annual Mullet Festival,
the 5K Great Mullet Run has
grown to more than 200 runners.
Proceeds from this project
are shared with area high
school track and cross-country
teams for their help and
participation. Chairmen are
Woody Warren and Jimmy
Williams.
Scholarship Program: Begun in 1979, well over
$500,000 has been awarded
to graduating seniors from area
high schools. The club recently
made a significant financial commitment
to this program by increasing
the annual scholarship
budget to $40,000, beginning in
2008. This commitment allows
the club to immediately begin
awarding 10 $4,000 scholarships
each school year. Chairman is Wes
Mobley.
Caring for Kids: For this
project, club members, family
and friends take needy children
Christmas shopping for a day.
This year, the club budgeted
$4,800, allowing it to host 30
children for shopping fun. Community
friends and hosts also
provided additional funding for
this project. Chairman is Scott
Chadwick.
Take A Kid Fishing: Along
with financial commitments to
this non-profit organization, the
club annually hosts more than
50 underprivileged youths to
hot dogs, hamburgers and all the
trimmings following a day of fishing.
Chairman is Jim Davis.
Cancer Benefits: Responding
to a request to benefit yet another
young mother with breast cancer
was the primary reason for this community project. The club procured, cooked and
prepared barbecue for a fund-raiser. All told, proceeds
topped $55,000.
Hurricane Relief Fund: Over the years, the Rotary Club has worked tirelessly to assist hurricane victims.
During Hugo’s aftermath, club members spent\
two weeks in South Carolina feeding victims and donated\
14 generators. After Floyd, the club organized\
36 trailers full of relief items over a two-week period.
Following Isabel, the club raised $13,500, matched by
an anonymous donor, to purchase new mattresses.
Most recently, the club donated $1,800 for stormravaged
Floridians this past fall.
Interact Club: Sponsored by Swansboro Rotary,
the Rotary Interact Club of Swansboro High School
has flourished. Along with their own projects, the
club members have been a mainstay at Swansboro
Rotary’s major events. In addition, the club sponsors
four students who attend the Rotary Youth Leadership
Awards function.
International Efforts: Over the years, the club
has supported world peace and understanding
through various international efforts, including hosting
and sponsoring Group Study Exchange teams.
This year, in partnership with its sister club in Ciudad
Del Cormen, the Swansboro club contributed
to the purchase of a fire truck for Campecje, Mexico.
The club also donated to a clean water and housing
project in the city.
|