Christmas came early to the Boys & Girls Club of the Virgin Islands' St. Thomas location when members of the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club (VIGFC) and the U.S. Virgin Islands Hotel & Tourism Association (VIHTA) presented a check totaling $50,000 ($25,000 from each organization) during the club's annual Christmas Party at the Oswald Harris Court Community Center on Dec. 23.
"We are proud to have financially supported the Boys & Girls Club of the Virgin Islands for at least 10 years," said Sue Boland, VIGFC President.
VIGFC members also support the club for children in many ways throughout the year. This includes hosting all the kids, who range in age from 6 to 18 years, to fish in the annual July Open Kid's Tournament. This year, members also donated 100 toys.
Jeffrey Kreiner, VIGFC Board of Director and chairman of the annual July Open Billfish Tournament (JOBT), spearheaded the raising of $25,000 through this year's 46th annual JOBT. This is the fishing club's largest event of the year, and the longest annually-held angling contest in the Virgin Islands, which started in 1964.
In October, VIGFC vice president, Nick Pourzal, who is also on the Board of Directors of the U.S. Virgin Islands Hotel & Tourism Association (VIHTA), challenged that group to raise funds to match the VIGFC's donation. "They succeeded in two months," said Pourzal.
Richard Doumeng, chairman of the board of the VIHTA, said, "We've donated funds to the Boys & Girls Club through over annual gift giving campaign for several years. This year, when we received the challenge from the VIGFC, we decided to pool our resources and create a bigger impact."
The VIGFC, founded in 1963, is a 501c(3) organization. www.vigfc.com
Report submitted by Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club
