Heroes Get “Reel” at 5th Annual Oorah vs. Hooah Fishing Battle

Oct. 3, 2012 - PRLog -- Heroes Get “Reel” at 5th Annual Oorah vs. Hooah Fishing Battle
Hope For The Warriors® hosts combat-wounded for a day of fishing and fun


WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC, October 1, 2012 – Hope For The Warriors®, along with the Bridge Tender Marina, will host the 5th Annual Oorah vs. Hooah “This Time It’s For Reel” Fishing Battle on Friday, October 5 in Wrightsville Beach, NC.  Hope For The Warriors® is a national nonprofit organization that supports combat-wounded service members, their families, and families of the fallen.

The event pits 19 wounded soldiers from Fort Bragg against 19 wounded Marines from Camp Lejeune in a heated day-long battle to pull in the most fish.  Bridge Tender Marina has organized the donation of ten boats with crew members to the event.  Service members from the Marine Corps will use:  Backin Down, Fortune Hunter, Lane Choice, MaRa III, and Thunder.  Soldiers from Fort Bragg will be on:  Above Grade, Agitator, Chicken Ship, Gamekeeper, and Salty Squirrel.

“It’s a fierce but friendly competition,” Peggy Rochon, Hope For The Warriors® Southeast Regional Director said.  “This event has become a mainstay of our Hope & Morale Program, uniting the fishing community with our local wounded heroes for a great day on the water.”

The title has changed hands annually with the Marines from Camp Lejeune winning the first and third years, and the soldiers from Fort Bragg grabbing the second and fourth years.  Last year’s battle was cancelled due to weather making this year’s event the official tie breaker.

Hope For The Warriors® will launch the Hope & Morale event with a cookout on Thursday night, October 4, at the Bridge Tender Marina.  Early Friday morning, at approximately 5:30 a.m., the U.S. Coast Guard will escort the 10 sport fishing boats out of the harbor at Wrightsville Beach.  Boats are expected to return at 3:30 p.m.

The John Boy and Billy Grilling Team from The Big Show with John Boy and Billy, a morning radio show based out of Charlotte, NC, will host a barbecue on Friday evening when the boats return to the dock.  John Boy will announce the winners following the barbecue, as well as pay tribute to all who made this event possible: organizers Dr. Rick Weisler,  Lisa McLaughlin, dockmaster Tripp Brice, Captain Kit Taylor, and all of the boat captains.  

The mission of Hope For the Warriors® is to enhance the quality of life for post-9/11 service members, their families, and families of the fallen who have sustained physical and psychological wounds in the line of duty.  Hope For The Warriors® is dedicated to restoring a sense of self, restoring the family unit, and restoring hope for our service members and our military families.

Hope For The Warriors® understands the challenges, pride, and joy of being a military family.  For today, tomorrow, and years to come, we will strive to meet the changing needs of service members and their families.

Hope For The Warriors® has earned a Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org), an independent organization that evaluates fiscal responsibility and accountability of nonprofits.