Newsletter 7:1 pt5

Summer 2002

Grand Opportunities Forum 2002
The 2002 Grand Opportunities Forum was the biggest success to date since FOGR took this event over. Classes were generally full and the "Foundations" series of classes were sold-out. The equipment swap had by far the most amount of gear sold since the swap was inaugurated. The equipment bucket raffle was enjoyed by all (check for unclaimed Prizes). We expanded our offerings to a dinner in the Hampton Barn after the day's classes and about 40 supporters showed up for some country cooking on a beautiful evening.

So how did FOGR do on the day?

Seminars      $3315.00
Brochure Advertisement    $860.00
Dinner      $1225.00
BBQ      $108.65
Equipment Draws    $1217.00
Dinner Auction    $1000.00
Used Equipment    $2904.00
Total for the day    $10629.65
Profit      $4963.71

Jim McCaw Wins the Sage Rod Draw for 2002
     
The winner of the 2002 SAGE Fundraising Raffle in support of FOGR's conservation efforts is Jim McCaw, of Burlington, Ontario. Jim has been a member of the Friends of the Grand River since 1996, and has been a strong supporter of FOGR conservation projects, both with volunteer time and annual donations.
"I was so pleased to present this SAGE outfit to Jim", said FOGR President Larry McGratton: "He was disbelieving at first, then like a kid finding himself locked in a candy store for the night!" Jim's surprise at winning the SAGE SLT rod, and SAGE 3200 large arbor reel and line was equaled by Larry's surprise as Jim presented him with a donation of $500 for FOGR. Jim says that FOGR is the best conservation organization he's ever joined, and asked Larry to commend the Board of Directors of FOGR, and all volunteers, on a job extremely well done!
The SAGE Fly Fishing Company, of Bainbridge Island, Washington, has been a willing supporter of FOGR's conservation fundraising efforts for 3 successive years, through their Ontario/Quebec representative Bob McKenzie Agencies, and area SAGE tackle retailers. The 2002 SAGE fundraising raffle generated $3850, and is FOGR's most successful to date! Over the past 3 years, SAGE's generous donations of raffle prizes have raised nearly $10,000 in conservation funding for Friends of the Grand River.
Conservation projects funded by these efforts include water quality monitoring, biological inventories of the fish and invertebrates of the Grand River, and studies on improving recruitment of wild brown trout into the popular tailwater fishery.