VERO BEACH — Get ready to reel in a big one for students and teachers! The Education Foundation of Indian River County’s popular Bass & Birdies Golf and Fishing Tournament takes place on Saturday, January 23 at the Indian River Club. The tournament begins with a shot gun start at 1:00 p.m. and a party will follow the golfing and fishing from 5 to 8 p.m. Live music by Terry Dobson and an auction will be part of the fun.

Space is limited for this event. Foursomes can sign up on-line: www.edfoundationirc.org or by calling the Foundation office: (772) 564-0034. The cost to attend is $300 per person or $1,200 per foursome. The entrance fee includes green fees, golf cart, fishing poles, tackle, refreshments, awards, prizes and the opportunity to bring a guest to the party.

“What makes this event special is it is an opportunity for guests to catch and release bass at four difference spots on the course. The more fish they catch, the better their golf score. Everyone has a lot of fun and it raises necessary dollars to fund our core programs, “commented Education Foundation Board President Sue Tompkins.

The Bass and Birdies Committee is chaired by Darren Sylvia. Committee members include: Vinny Olmstead, Jose Prieto, Charles Croom, David Savage, Lynn Hall, Debbie Biedenharn, Dan Bockhorst and Bill Furr.

The Education Foundation of Indian River County was founded over 18 years ago to link and engage community leaders in the process of supporting education in Indian River County. This Education Foundation is unique in that it is only one of three education foundations in the state of Florida that supports all schools in the county (public, private, parochial and charter). Ninety percent of the Foundation’s funding comes from private individuals and foundations. Revenues from the Florida Legislature Matching Grant Program and License for Learning (specialty license plates) make up ten percent of the organization’s funding. This unique structure allows the Foundation to operate separately from the public school system, thus allowing resources to be funneled directly into the classroom. Since the Education Foundation of Indian River County, Inc.’s inception in 1991, we have infused over $2.5 million into the education community of Indian River County.

The Foundation has grown from one signature program, The Indian River Regional Science and Engineering Fair, to include five core programs. The Foundation’s growth has also been able to keep pace with the growing expansion of new schools and smaller classrooms. The Foundation continues to analyze and evaluate existing and potential programs each year for the purpose of developing a priority list. The list is then reviewed to determine which programs merit the Foundation’s support. Meeting the educational needs of public and private school students and teachers remains the focus of the Education Foundation of Indian River County.

Information: Visit: www.edoundationirc.org or call: (772) 564-0034