The tournament will be held Saturday, December 13, 2008, at Queen's Landing on Lake Norman in Mooresville, N.C. The foundation's weekend of charity events will kick off on the evening of Friday, December 12, 2008, with the Ryan Newman Foundation's fourth annual Charity Gala and Auction, which will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Charles Mack Citizen Center in Mooresville, N.C. Guests will have the opportunity to meet and mingle with NASCAR drivers, pro fishermen and country music entertainers. Charity auction items will include autographed NASCAR memorabilia from Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Martin Truex, Jr., Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, and others, as well as autographed sports memorabilia, rods and reels, outdoor sporting equipment and more.
Newman says, "I'm very proud of all that our foundation has accomplished with our projects like Racing For Wildlife and opening the S.N.I.P. Regional Spay/Neuter Clinic. Krissie and I are working to make an even larger impact across the nation by supporting more spay/neuter programs, animal shelters and conservation programs. That is why we are building the Ryan Newman Foundation Endowment by raising funds with our special events. This year the grand prize of our fishing tournament is my very own Ranger Boat that I've been fishing from all year."
The bass tournament will be facilitated by FLW Outdoors. Fishermen will compete for the Z-20 Ranger Boat grand prize. The Z-20 Ranger Boat comes with a 225 H.O. Evinrude, Minn-Kota Maxxum 80 trolling motor, Lowrance x135, and trailer (valued at $45,000). Other prizes include cash, trolling motors, GPS systems, depth finders, rods/reels, outdoor equipment, and digital cameras.
Registration in the bass tournament for a team of two fishermen is $150 on or before November 13 or $200 after November 13. Fishermen may also enter a Big Fish Contest for $40 per team. The maximum is 250 teams. For complete event details, tournament rules, to download a flier and registration form, or to register online, visit www.ryannewmanfoundation.org. Those wishing to receive a printed registration form by mail should send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Ryan Newman Foundation, Fishing Tournament Form Request, PO Box 5998, Statesville, NC 28687.
Tickets to the Ryan Newman Foundation Charity Gala and Auction are $100 per person or $175 per couple. For complete event details, to download a ticket order form, or to purchase tickets online, visit www.ryannewmanfoundation.org. To receive a ticket order form by mail, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Ryan Newman Foundation, Charity Dinner Form Request, PO Box 5998, Statesville, NC 28687.
Newman's wife, Krissie, says, "We're really looking forward to our Gala and Auction and our Fishing Tournament this year. We have added an extra hour to our gala to allow more time for some of our country music friends to perform for the guests. It's going to be a lot of fun! Our charity events are fun ways that NASCAR fans, fishermen, animal lovers and conservationists can get involved in making a difference by helping the Ryan Newman Foundation fulfill our mission. When we all get together for causes that we care about, we make a bigger impact. Ryan and I really appreciate the support fans have given our foundation in the past. Their donations have made a big difference to humane societies, spay/neuter programs and conservation programs across the country."
Proceeds from these charity events will benefit the philanthropic work of the Ryan Newman Foundation nationwide. Ten percent of the proceeds will be earmarked specifically for the S.N.I.P. Regional Spay/Neuter Clinic and the Humane Society of Iredell, which serve the communities in the area where the charity events will be held this year.
NASCAR driver Ryan Newman and his wife, Krissie, established the Ryan Newman Foundation in January 2005. The mission of the foundation is to educate and encourage people to spay/neuter their pets and to adopt dogs and cats from animal shelters; to educate children and adults about the importance of conservation so the beauty of the great outdoors can be appreciated by future generations; and to provide college scholarship funding through the Rich Vogler Scholarship program to students interested in auto racing careers. Proceeds raised at the fishing tournament will be used to build the Ryan Newman Foundation Endowment, which will be a source for grants to nonprofit organizations that fulfill the foundation's mission.
For more information, visit www.ryannewmanfoundation.org.