The Absecon SaltWater Sportsmen’s Club is an organized charity that promotes both natural resource and fishing education along with drug and alcohol abuse awareness within the community. The Absecon Saltwater Sportsmen are involved in six youth fishing / education events yearly. We fully fund and coordinate the Absecon Saltwater Sportsmen “Kids Hooked on Fishing – Not on Drugs” programs that include the Nuncio Bruno Kids U/16 Bluefish Tournament held in Chestnut Neck and the “Day on the Bay for Challenged Children” held in Atlantic City. The Nuncie Bruno Youth Bluefish Tournament held at Chestnut Neck Marina for youth fifteen years of age and younger offers education in fishing and boating regulations, natural resource awareness, fishing equipment and strategies as well as drug and alcohol abuse awareness. The “Day on the Bay for Challenged Children” is a cooperative effort between our club and the Absecon Field of Dreams youth baseball and softball program.
We are also involved in four fishing derbies for students 5th through 7th grade under the national Kids Hooked on Fishing – Not on Drugs programs. The Municipal Drug Alliances Committees of these communities offer financial support toward these programs. We provide volunteers to assist, donate prizes, or offer financial support to the Northfield Birch Grove Park Youth Open Fishing, The Galloway Twp. Patriot Lake Tournament, The Absecon Mill Street pond Tournament, and the Atlantic City Boys and Girls Club Surfcasting Tournament.
As a social fishing club we also hold 6 in-house fishing tournaments as part of our fund raising events to raise monies for the above activities. We solicit contributions from other 501c-3 organizations such as the Atlantic County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, the Recreational Fishing Alliance Foundation, New Jersey Outdoor Aliance, The GABT, and others in support of our efforts. The Jersey Coast Anglers Assn. awarded our club the 2005 Youth Education Award at their yearly awards dinner in November of 2005. We also receive private contributions from private citizens, businesses, Fraternal and Benevolent associations, civic organizations, Veteran associations, and corporate sponsors that support our community efforts throughout Atlantic County.
We are also the host club for the Greater Atlantic Bluefish Tournament. Like the nationally recognized “Hooked on Fishing-Not on Drugs” education endeavors we are currently involved with, the GABT Foundation grew out of our club into its own 501c-3 organization several years ago, creating it’s own foundation. Its purpose is to raise monies for cancer patients in the Cape-Atlantic area. We provide volunteers for the tournament and several of our club members serve on the GABT Board of Directors.
As can be seen we have evolved from just a local fishing club to an organization that is now attempting to reach out to the youth in our communities in an attempt to expose them to the recreational activities of our area through education about natural resource management and protection, fishing activities and opportunities, and the dangers of alcohol and drug use. Certification as a “Kids Hooked on Fishing – Not on Drugs” instructor is available through our contacts with the N.J. Division of Fish and Game. Many of our members are also members of the Atlantic County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, The Recreational Fishing Alliance, and several smaller local fishing and hunting organizations.