It looks like the 98 The Beach Chantry Chinook Classic Fishing Derby could stay afloat in 2009.
The Lake Huron Fishing Club had been thinking of disbanding the annual event because of a lack of volunteers.
At a meeting last night at the club’s fish hatchery in Port Elgin, twelve members and volunteers gathered.
They found out someone is interested in taking on the role of treasurer, and Todd DeVries of Southampton is interested in being Derby Chair.
DeVries was late arriving at the meeting and did not accept the chair’s job instantly, instead deciding to take a couple of days to find out what the responsibilities are.
Club President Ray Walser is optmistic though.
He believes the derby will go ahead in 2009, and the next step is for the new chair to get the derby committee organized.
Dave Hyman of Point Clark, who won the 2007 derby, is willing to chair the 2010 event, but not the 2009 edition.
Walser says the new chair also needs to work hard to get sponsors lined up.
He says he’d like to see four major sponsors back the Chantry Chinook Classic, and only one is lined up right now.
Walser says there are possibilities for new sponsors because of new retailers moving into the area.
The members and volunteers at the meeting suggested more work be done to get sponsorship from local businesses and larger companies.
The club will know by Thursday if DeVries will serve as derby chair.
The Lake Huron Fishing Club Executive will meet then and make a final decision on if the Chantry Chinook Classic will run in 2009.
