“We believe this tournament should be about giving back to the foundation for the tremendous work it does to prevent and educate children about abuse of all kinds,” said Sammy Vaughn, owner of the Lor-A-Di, which is the only team to win the tournament three times. “My wife Diane and I donated the money to the foundation this year in honor of my brother, Jimmy Vaughn, who was a long-time member of the Northeast Florida Marlin Association and was instrumental in founding the ‘Corporate Challenge’ offshore fishing tournament whose goal was to raise money for the club’s different charities.”
             
The two-day El Pescado tournament was held at Camachee Cove at the Marlin Club in St. Augustine, Fla. The Lor-A-Di, owned by Sammy Vaughn led by Captain Ty Moore, won 1st Place Overall Team with a total purse of $82,725. Outlaw, owned and led by Captain Neil Subin, took 2nd Place Overall Team, and Grand Slam, owned by Wallis Higginbotham and led by Captain John Loyd, won 3rd Place Overall Team.

Additional awards included the Top Angler, which went to Jim Vaughn of the Floridian, and Top Junior Angler, which was awarded to Skyler Wichers of Boneshaker.  Vaughn, the Top Angler, will be invited to the World Billfish Series Championship in Los Suenos, Costa Rica, in December and the International Game Fish Association Offshore World Championship event in Cabo San Lucas.

In conjunction with the 21st Annual El Pescado Billfish Tournament, the Monique Burr Foundation hosted the first Fish-N-Chips Marina Casino event, which drew 400 attendees and included Texas Hold ‘Em, Black Jack, Roulette and slots as well as the unique “Ladies Tackle Box” featuring shopping opportunities with local artists who support the Monique Burr Foundation for Children. Attendees also had the chance to visit the Izorline booth and try their hand at a knot tying contest. The friendly competition tested individual knots tied by participants on the Izorline Knot Gauge, which measures a knot’s breaking point by pressure.

 “During the past three years of this event, we have raised more than $260,000 for the Monique Burr Foundation for Children,” said Dennis Rosa, co-director of the tournament. “It is because of the generous support of our teams, sponsors and guests that we were able to continue to raise money of this magnitude for the foundation. I invite everyone to get ready for next year’s event, which will be from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, and help us in our cause to prevent child abuse throughout Florida.”

All proceeds from the fishing tournament and coinciding Fish-N-Chips Marina Casino event benefit the Monique Burr Foundation for Children.
The Monique Burr Foundation for Children was created as a nonprofit organization in 1997 to honor the late Monique Burr, a tireless advocate for children and their needs. The foundation’s mission is to provide hope in the lives of children by providing training and education to prevent and reduce the rate of abuse among children throughout Northeast Florida.
           
In 2008, the foundation reached more than 20,000 children with its advocacy programs, including the Good Touch Bad Touch® program, and since its inception has donated more than $2 million to child-serving agencies in the region. Currently, the foundation reaches children in 94 of the 107 public elementary schools in Duval County in addition to several private and Catholic schools in the area. It is expanding its reach to include Baker, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns counties. The foundation also works in close partnership with agencies serving children whose primary focus is preventing abuse of children. For more information about the Monique Burr Foundation for Children, call (904) 642-0210 or visit www.moniqueburrfoundation.org.
 
Photography:
 
1.) Lor-A-Di First Place Winner – The crew of Lor-A-Di took 1st Place Overall Team at the 21st Annual El Pescado Billfish Tournament.
 
2.) Outlaw Second Place Winner – The crew of Outlaw took second place at the tournament.
 
3.) Grand Slam Third Place Winner – The Grand Slam crew won 3rd Place Overall Team at the fishing tournament.
 
4.) Top Angler Award – The Top Angler award went to Jim Vaughn of the Floridian. Presented by Ed Burr (right) and Dennis Rosa.
 
5.) Top Junior Angler – The Top Junior Angler went to Skyler Wichers of Boneshaker. Presented by Ed Burr (right) and Dennis Rosa.
 
6.) Lor-A-Di
 
7.) Outlaw
 
8.) Grand Slam