Annual bass fishing tournament to raise funds for Special Olympics during police week

WARNER ROBINS – The Warner Robins Police Department will host its annual bass fishing tournament on Friday, May 16, at Lake Sinclair in Milledgeville. 

This event is hosted with Police Week and is a fundraiser through the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Georgia. Organizer Officer Greg Martin said this is approximately the 16th year they have hosted the tournament. It is the longest-running event the department has done for Police Week.

Martin shared that the event became a Special Olympics fundraiser in the last few years. He said there are usually between 30 to 50 boats on the lake.

The entry fee to the tournament is $80, and Martin said a sponsor donated money to cover all the guaranteed payouts. The tournament is paying first, second and third place winners – first place will win $1,000, second place $500, third place $250, and the big bass winner will also win $250. Martin also said there will be raffle prizes.

“It’s just a big event to try and raise money for Special Olympics, help raise awareness for individuals with intellectual disabilities and help them be able to compete in the games without it costing them any money. They can just show up and compete and be athletes,” he said.

Martin, an avid fisherman, said this event is one of his favorites of the year. He said it runs deep with him and is close to his heart. 

So far, there are already 15 boats signed up and he anticipates more sign-ups on the morning of the tournament. He expects a good turnout and is excited for the event every year.

Martin said he knows repeat participants who fish yearly. He shared that the event has gained a good following over the years, and everyone enjoys it. The atmosphere is supportive, since participants always complement each other and have fun. 

“They come in basically just to have fun and fish and have a good time. That’s usually what we do,” he said.

According to Martin, the first annual tournament had approximately six boats. Since then, more word has gotten out about the event, causing more participants. Martin said there were 56 boats one year, which he considers a good turnout since the tournament is held during the work week. 

“That just goes to show that there’s a lot of people that will take time off work to fish, especially if they’re fishing for a good cause,” he said. “It kind of gives them an excuse to leave work, but they’re doing it for good reasons.”

Martin is the Assistant Director for Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. He said LETR is the world’s largest grassroots fundraising organization for Special Olympics.

Once Martin became an executive councilmember for the organization, he had the idea to turn the fishing tournament from just a Police Week event to a fundraiser for Special Olympics.

“Warner Robins Police Department is a big supporter of Special Olympics Georgia and we do a lot of fundraising for them every year,” he said. “That’s kind of how it morphed into from a police week event to a fundraising event that just happens to take place during police week.”

The roots of the tournament are fundraising and spreading awareness, Martin shared. He also said it is a way to help athletes with intellectual disabilities participate in sports.

In Martin’s opinion, there is nothing like bass fishing, which he described as a great way to get out in nature. 

“It’s fun [and] it’s something near and dear to me. Everybody that has fished generally comes back and fishes it every year,” he said.

People can pre-register and pay registration fees online until Wednesday, May 14, here. Interested anglers can also sign up in the morning of the tournament at the Dennis Station Boat Ramp and pay cash only. 

To learn more about the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Georgia, visit their website.