The Baxter Health Foundation is excited to announce the success of its inaugural Bass Classic Banquet and Fishing Tournament, held at the Baxter County Fairgrounds and Lake Norfork Marina. This two-day event, which brought together community members to enjoy great food, lively entertainment, and fierce competition, also raised vital funds to support local healthcare services and raised over $140,000!
“We couldn’t have asked for a better turnout for our first Bass Classic weekend,” said Sarah Edwards, Executive Director, Baxter Health Foundation. “From the generosity of our sponsors to the dedication of our anglers, the entire community came together to make this event a huge success. We’re incredibly grateful for the support, and we’re excited to continue building on this tradition in the years to come.”
The weekend kicked off on Friday, November 7, with the Bass Classic Banquet at the Baxter County Fairgrounds. Attendees were treated to a delicious BBQ dinner, a silent auction featuring exclusive items, and live music from the ‘80s tribute band Members Only. The evening was full of excitement, with raffle drawings adding to the festivities, all while contributing to the Foundation’s mission of improving healthcare in the region.
On Saturday, 79 boats participated in the highly anticipated Bass Classic Fishing Tournament at Lake Norfork Marina. The competition was intense, with anglers from all over competing for top honors and cash prizes. After a full day of fishing, the winners were announced, with Corey Cook (Lake Ozark, MO) and Roger Cook (Lebanon, MO) taking first place with a total weight of 13.52 pounds, earning them a grand prize of $4,000. Todd St. Clair and Matt St. Clair from Pyatt, AR, claimed second place with 13.15 pounds, earning $2,000, while third place went to Lynn Luther (Viola, AR) and Anthony Gates (Tuckerman, AR), who caught 13.10 pounds, securing a $1,000 prize. Additional prizes were awarded to Chad Bleeker (Gamaliel, AR) and Bobbie Barnes for fourth place, who brought in 12.90 pounds, and Denver Gulley (Mountain Home, AR) for fifth place, with 12.78 pounds. The coveted Big Bass prize went to Tony Moser (Violet Hill, AR) and Randy Zeigler (Glencoe, AR) for their 5.70-pound catch.
The Bass Classic also featured a number of exciting raffle prizes. Terry Cordum won a 2015 Factory Five 818 Kit Car, while Dianna McKee walked away with a Spartan Shield Zero Turn Lawnmower. Becky Rose won a Tao Racing Motorcycle, and Tami Barrow was the lucky recipient of a Ruger American Ranch Rifle.
The event would not have been possible without the generous support of local sponsors, volunteers, and participants. The funds raised during the weekend will directly benefit the Baxter Health Community Support Houses: Peitz Cancer Support House, Mruk Family Center on Aging and the Schliemann Center for Women’s Health, as well as the Foundation’s annual fund which provides support to Baxter Health to expand healthcare services to the community.
Edwards commented on the new event taking the place of all the independent community support house fundraisers, “We wanted to help with donor fatigue in our community by pulling all 4 of our events together for a big, two day event with the same goal in mind: raise money for the annual fund and support houses – and this event did just that! Instead of 4 fundraising events and asking our community that many times for support, we wanted to move to one big event so that the opportunity to participate could be easier for our local individuals and businesses. We are grateful for the participation we had and look forward to doing it again for many more years.”
For those who missed out on the inaugural Bass Classic, stay tuned for details about next year’s event and other opportunities to get involved. For more information or to make a donation, visit baxterhealth.org/Foundation.
