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From Fishing for Profit to Nonprofit Angling: Southern Fishing Charities

“We are naturally giving and like to make sure people are taken care of. Deserving people deserve good things.” – John Mitchell

With nationally televised events, competitive fishing has made its way into the mainstream. The average viewer now has a look at what fishing tournaments are all about…or do they?

While events like the Bassmaster Elite Series have prizes in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and people tuning in to follow the event from around the world, the majority of fishing tournaments don’t offer life-changing rewards or even cash prizes of any size. To most competitive fishing teams and individual anglers, it’s about much more than financial gain, trophies, or publicity gained from being shown on television.

Southern Fishing CharitiesJohn Mitchell and John Jackson (JJ) are part of a close-knit group of friends who are also successful businessmen and avid fishermen. One evening, the group was sitting around having food and drinks while discussing what was wrong with the current structure of local fishing tournaments.

Events were poorly planned, poorly attended, and did little if anything at all for local nonprofits that were in desperate need of support. The entire group of friends all felt that there was a much better way to support anglers with a passion for giving to others who also wanted to participate in a great event.

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The group worked to transform local amateur fishing tournaments into a chance for competitive friends who love being out on the water to get together and compete while raising money for a charity. After partnering with Tito’s Handmade Vodka to become  their official fishing team, John and JJ created Southern Fishing Charities (SFC) along with Tito’s Market Manager Grant Portier. “We looked at how the fishing community could give back to not just the anglers and their families, but local charities that could benefit from that,” John Mitchell says. The nonprofit they created, Southern Fishing Charities, organizes events and coordinates efforts to support local charities directly with the proceeds from each tournament.

John, Grant and JJ give all of the credit for their efforts to the man who helped introduce them to Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Scott Terry, a close friend who passed away a short time ago. John states that “Scott will forever be remembered and an important part of our team.” To honor Scott and continue his legacy, they participate in an honorary walk to benefit Lauren’s Kids, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing childhood sexual abuse.

Lauren’s Kids, which provides help and support to victims and preventative measures to prevent future abuse, was chosen by the team to serve as the primary benefactor of the SFC’s 2015 season. The organization had a direct impact on Scott Terry, which allowed him to give his best to others.

Asked what drives him to pursue so many different efforts in addition to his business, John Mitchell said that it’s the ability to give back. “Personally, I feel like I’ve been very fortunate in my life to do what I’ve done and see what life has given me. Anytime you can help somebody and give somebody a fighting chance; I believe they deserve that.”

JJ said his motivation stems from channeling his competitive drive to do good for others. “Competition has driven me to do many things, and this has given me a chance to turn it into something positive that can help a lot of great people.”

This group of friends has done just that. Through the Bluewater Babes Fish for a Cure event, the Tito’s Handmade Vodka team along with the support of Tito’s Handmade Vodka recently donated a check for $15,000. The hard work they put in is worth every bit of the payoff to the team. “We will spend every day every weekend waking up at 2am until 7pm at night in 6-foot waves in the worst conditions possible to do things like that because we believe in helping people,” said John Mitchell.

The Tito’s Handmade Vodka team encourages other people to get involved, whether that means reaching out within their local community to find causes they care about or reaching out to them about Southern Fishing Charities. “Everyone should get involved. Volunteers make what we do possible,” said JJ, who stated they are always in need of help for events.

If interested in getting involved, contact John Mitchell at john@southernfishingcharities.org or John Jackson at john@teamtitos.com. To find out more about the Tito’s Handmade Vodka Fishing Team, follow them on Facebook and southernfishingcharities.org.

2016 Miami International Boat Show Experience Recap: Frigibar Industries

The 75th Miami International Boat Show is over, but we’ll be enjoying the experiences, connections, and memories from the show for years to come. This year’s show, which took place February 11-15, marked the 50th year Frigibar took part in the event as an exhibitor. According to the Miami Herald, over 1,200 new boats were on display and over 100,000 attendees were expected for the five-day show.

Frigibar was in Booth 554 in Tent C, right next to Brownie’s Yacht Diver. “They were great booth neighbors and brought a crowd to the area,” said Oletzky.

Brownie's Yacht Diver Booth

On the Friday of the show, the Tito’s Handmade Vodka Fishing Team stopped by the Frigibar booth to host a small reception to raise money for their charity, Southern Fishing Charities. What was planned to be an hour and a half gathering lasted over three hours and turned into a highlight of the show for many. The reception received a surprise visit from NMMA President Thom Dammrich, Outdoor Channel reality star Carter Andrews of The Obsession of Carter Andrews, and many others. The event raised $500 for the charity and was something exhibitors and attendees talked about for days afterward.

Liquid Fire Fishing Team

The Liquid Fire Fishing Team and Frigibar President Shuly Oletzky

The booth also got a visit from the red-hot Liquid Fire Fishing Team. The team was recently named the sports story of the year by the Tideland News. Read more about Liquid Fire and their great team in our interview with team captain Mark Henderson.

“This was a spectacular event, and we’re glad we were able to be a part of it. It’s hard to imagine all of the hard work that was done behind the scenes to pull this off just 16 months after it was first announced that the event would be coming to Miami Marine Stadium,” said Oletzky. The stadium was last used in 1992 and was renovated to bring the Miami Boat Show to the venue for its first event in over 20 years.

The venue did not disappoint. “My favorite aspect of this year’s show is that we were actually on the water! It felt like a real Florida boat show where everyone could enjoy the beautiful views of the beach, and the boats were in the water. It was something missing from previous shows and it added a special element to this year’s show,” said Oletzky.

There were many other firsts experienced by attendees and exhibitors at this year’s show. Organizers invested in free land and water shuttle services for attendees and there were over 10,000 available parking spaces. “There was a relaxed feel to the whole event even with it being so busy. The show was easy to navigate, there were tons of food options, and the NMMA (National Marine Manufacturers Association) staff was working directly with exhibitors and attendees to quickly help when any help was needed. The show got better each day,” said Oletzky.

During a pre-event interview on AM 880 The Biz, which aired Tuesday, February 9, Cathy Rick-Joule, NMMA Vice President of the Miami Boat Show said, “We believe we’ve found the future home of the boat show for many, many, many years to come at Miami Marine Stadium Park and Basin.” We’re excited to see how the show takes advantage of the great space and location Miami Marine Stadium provides.

NMMA Vice President Cathy Rick-Joule announced her retirement at the show. “Cathy means so much to me and is the reason I’m so involved in the show. She’s caring and thoughtful, and really helped in my transition to President of Frigibar and making sure our family-owned business would still be involved in the Miami Show, there are no words to express my gratitude for her guidance and friendship over the years.” said Oletzky. Rick-Joule will provide guidance in a consulting role to ensure a smooth transition going forward. Frigibar would like to thank Rick-Joule for her support and amazing work with the NMMA and Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show.

Next up, Frigibar President Shuly Oletzky will be visiting the 31st Annual Palm Beach International Boat Show (March 17-20). After exhibiting for the five-day Miami show, Shuly will be able to speak with exhibitors and attendees at the show as an attendee herself. “The Palm Beach Show is such a fun show and will be a great time. It’s always great to exhibit at a show, but this will be a refreshing opportunity to get out from behind the booth and network with all of the exhibitors and see the whole show,” said Oletzky.

“If you didn’t get a chance to come this year, come next year (to the Miami Beach International Boat Show). It’s only going to get better,” said Oletzky to end our post-event interview. Dates for the 2017 Miami International Boat Show have not yet been released. Follow the show on Facebook for updates and news.

About Frigibar Industries, Inc.

Frigibar Industries, Inc. is one of the longest established manufacturers of marine refrigeration. Frigibar was started in 1971 by Founder and President Sheldon Oletzky, a twenty-one year veteran of the United States Navy and experienced aerospace engineer. In 2011, Sheldon’s daughter Shuly Oletzky took on the role of CEO and President of Frigibar and strives to grow the company’s legacy of providing the best in marine refrigeration. These freezers have taken on a secondary meaning; on-deck fiberglass freezers are referred to by boat builders and owners worldwide as Frigibars. Frigibar provides hand-crafted, marine refrigeration systems of the highest quality.

Follow Frigibar on Twitter, Instagram, and like our Facebook page to keep updated throughout the year and see what we’re up to.