Annual UW Bass Classic raises $15,000

Everybody was a winner at Saturday's 4th annual Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way Bass Classic at Evans Lake.
Nick Prvonozac, the top pro, took home $1,000 and his amateur partner, Chris Ryman, received the keys to a Hummer for a weekend, courtesy of Greenwood Chevrolet/Hummer.
But the biggest winners of all are the clients of the more than 30 agencies supported by Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way. Thanks to the 68 anglers who huddled against the weather, the event fished up $15,000 that will be used to help make life better for those in our community with special needs.
Ugly and miserable
The weather ranged between ugly and downright miserable, but it failed to dampen the spirits of those who showed up to help start the United Way's annual campaign.
Yesterday's Bass Classic was the starter event for the local United Way's 2003 fund-raising campaign. Bill Bresnahan, president of Hynes Industries in Youngstown, is chairman of the 2003 campaign and was one of 34 amateur anglers in yesterday's rain-drenched Bass Classic.
"The bass tournament has grown to the point where it provides valuable exposure for the great good that the United Way does throughout the Youngstown area," Bresnahan said. "Plus, we started the 2003 campaign with $15,000."
The previous best effort was the $10,000 raised at last year's Bass Classic.
Don Cagigas is president and chief professional officer of the Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way. An avid angler himself, Cagigas noted the tournament this year set records for the amount of money raised and the number of participants.
"The Bass Classic started as a way to add a new dimension to our efforts to get the message out to the community about the need that exists for the services provided by United Way agencies," Cagigas said.
First suggested
Rich Pisani, vice president of finance at Altronic, first suggested back in 2000 that the United Way consider staging a bass tournament as a fundraiser. It was an idea that caught the eye of Walter "Buzz" Pishkur, president of Consumers Ohio Water Co. and the United Way's 2000 campaign chairman.
"We had the lakes that could serve as a venue for a bass tournament, so it was a good fit all the way around," Pishkur said.
Each of the four Bass Classics has been staged on bass-filled Evans Lake.
At a special party Tuesday night at Pine Lake Social Hall, the pro and amateur contenders for this year's Bass Classic championship had an opportunity to meet each other and swap fishing stories.
The conversations included strategies for Saturday's tournament, the inevitable trash talk about who was going to thump whom in the fishing and, of course, the good feelings about helping raise money for the community's benefit.
Everybody agreed, the event was for a good cause.
Now, if only the weather would cooperate. Maybe next year.
jwwollitz@aol.com