History of F.I.S.H.
The genesis of F.I.S.H. was a request in June of 2006 by Gunnery Sergeant Jim Allen on an eastern NC fishing internet website for someone that might be interested in taking a member of the Wounded Warriors barracks at Camp Lejeune, NC fishing. The response was immediate and overwhelming.
On July 1, F.I.S.H. board member Richard Phelps had the honor of taking GSgt Allen and a Wounded Warrior out fishing on the first trip. The following week Tim Tiramelli, Rodney Carroll and GSgt Allen took four more Wounded Warriors fishing. Over the rest of that summer and fall, Mr. Tiramelli and many others took members of the Wounded Warriors fishing in everything from a 10’ jon boat and kayaks to the 100’ headboat, “Continental Shelf.”
That December, donations were collected and rods and reels were purchased and delivered to every Wounded Warrior at Camp Lejeune. It was also at this time that Mr. Phelps began collecting donations to pay for fishing licenses for the Wounded Warriors in 2007. In 2007 NC would start a new “saltwater” fishing license.
In March of 2007 Mr. Phelps, Mr. Tiramelli and Mr. Carroll were interviewed by the Jacksonville Daily News about the “Take a Hero Fishing” program, the Wounded Warriors’ license fund drive and Military Appreciation Day, Inc.(MAD). On May 4, 2007, the first Wounded Warriors’ pier fishing trip was held at the SeaView Pier in North Topsail Beach, NC. F.I.S.H. board members; Mike Becker, David Christopher and Scott Hobbs along with 7 other volunteers assisted Mr. Phelps and 11 Wounded Warriors. The Wounded Warriors spent the day fishing and catching bluefish and sea mullets and were served lunch by the staff of the SeaView Pier. Also on this day Mr. Phelps donated $1950 to Hope for the Warriors so that they could oversee the Wounded Warriors’ License Fund.
Mr. Phelps and others continued in a loosely organized fashion for the next several years to take wounded warriors from Camp LeJeune fishing. Each year since that first peir trip in 2007, Mr. Phelps and the others have organized a pier trip in the spring. This event has been a huge success and has grown over the years.
In the closing months of 2009, Mr. Phelps began to form a formal organization and came up with the name “Fisherman In Support of Heroes, F.I.S.H. In January of 2010 the state of North Carolina issued a charter of incorporation to the organization. The initial Board of Directors include Richard Phelps as Chairman, Scott Hobbs as Vice-chairman, David Christopher as Secretary, Mike Becker and John McDow.
"About" Topics
From a simple request by a Marine Sergeant to take one of his wounded warriors fishing, grew the concept and organization known as F.I.S.H. Read about that history here.
F.I.S.H. is dedicated to showing our appreciation to the military folks that protect our nation. Learn more about how and why we do this in this “about” article.
F.I.S.H. is a chartered non-profit organization with five board members. Click on this topic and learn more about our board members.
Follow us:
