Dania Beach, Florida — The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) announced the Guides Trust Foundation and Islamorada (Florida) Charter Boat Association will be the first recipients of the organization's new Worldwide Anglers Relief Fund (WARF).
Each group will receive $10,000 to support captains, guides, mates and their families in the Florida Keys who were affected by Hurricane Irma.
“We are all deeply saddened by the destruction left behind by Hurricane Irma as it ripped across the Florida Keys, yet we are inspired by the resiliency of the local recreational angling community,” IGFA President Nehl Horton said. “We hope that this financial support will help get our friends in the Florida Keys back out on the water as soon as possible.”
The IGFA set up the WARF in September to raise and disburse funds to local angling organizations and associations to help speed the recovery of recreational angling communities around the world in the wake of major natural disasters. The professional, recreational angling community is often the cornerstone of local economies and their ability to get back on their feet after natural disasters is critical to re-establishing the cultural and financial well-being of the areas in which they operate.
The IGFA and its partner, Costa Sunglasses, built the fund with initial donations totaling $25,000 and will continue raising money to help those in affected areas. The next round of WARF grants will address recent impacts of the 2017 hurricane season in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean region. The IGFA makes grant-recipient decisions in consultation with major WARF supporters and local representatives in impacted areas.
To make a direct, tax deductible contribution to the WARF, consumers can go to www.igfa.org/warf, or purchase a Costa t-shirt in support of recovery efforts at www.onecoast.net.
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