ROGERS, Ark. (April 5, 2006) — On Friday, April 7 , select members of the Snickers® and Pedigree® pro-fishing teams will visit Westside Elementary School to meet with an assembly of fifth-grade students. The anglers will talk about the family-friendly sport of fishing and the importance of conservation. The team will be in Rogers for the Wal-Mart Open on Beaver Lake that takes place Wednesday, April 5 through Saturday, April 8.
A goal of the visit is for the children to gain an appreciation of the environment by learning about conserving fish habitats and being respectful of nature. The anglers will take this opportunity to educate the students about why more than 52 million people pick up their rods and wet a line each year – because fishing is a fun, wholesome activity the entire family can enjoy. They will talk about life as a pro angler and give the children a chance to ask questions. The visit is tailored to introduce the next generation of anglers to the wonderful world of fishing.
The Snickers and Pedigree pro teams comprise of some of bass fishing’s most successful anglers, including former Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship winner John Sappington.
“We’re excited to have the opportunity to teach kids about the sport of fishing and the meaning of conservation,” said Victoria Varhalmi, a spokesperson for Snickers and Pedigree. “Our anglers are pleased to be involved in the community and to encourage participation in the sport they love. Our teams are not only successful on the water; they truly care about the future generation of anglers.”
Snickers and Pedigree will offer another opportunity for children of all ages to learn more about fishing during the Wal-Mart FLW Tour’s Family Fun Zone, which is free and open to the public. Both Snickers and Pedigree will set up booths where children can meet the anglers and receive autographed trading cards. The Fun Zone runs from 2-4 p.m. Friday and noon-4 p.m. Saturday. It will be set up at the Wal-Mart Store located at 4208 Pleasant Crossing Blvd. in Rogers.
The 2006 Snickers pro-angler team comprises of David Lauer of South Bend, Ind.; John Sappington of Willard, Mo.; Chris Baumgardner of Gastonia, N.C.; and Pat Fisher of Buckhead, Ga.
The 2006 Pedigree pro-angler team comprises of Greg Pugh of Cullman, Ala., and Jeffrey Thomas of Broadway, N.C.
Masterfoods USA – the United States food, snack and pet-care operations of Mars Inc. – is one of the world’s leading food manufacturers. The combined food, pet-care and snack segments are symbols of excellence for quality brands. Headquartered in Hackettstown, N.J., Masterfoods USA owns some of the world’s favorite brands including M&M’s® Brand, Snickers® Brand, Uncle Ben’s Brand, Kal Kan® Brand, Pedigree Brand Food for Dogs, Whiskas® Brand Food for Cats, Seeds of Change® and Flavia® Beverage Systems. For more information about M&M-Mars, visit Mars.com or call (800) 551-0702.
Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail, Stratos Owners’ Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series. These circuits offer combined purses exceeding $36.9 million through 241 events in 2006. FLW Outdoors also recently announced the addition of a striped bass circuit, which will debut in May.
For more information on FLW Outdoors and its tournament programs, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.
Wal-Mart and many of America’s largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. For more information on Wal-Mart, visit Wal-Mart.com.