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Community Corner

O'Brien's Sponsored Fishing Tournaments To Benefit Tampa Bay Harvest

Florida Freeshafters will show off and weigh their catch at O'Brien's Irish Pub in Brandon on May 22. Joining them will be the pub's fishing club, which holds its annual Mackerel Tournament on May 21.

Florida anglers will be casting for a cause this weekend, May 20-22, when they head out on the waters of Tampa Bay.

 in Brandon, 701 West Lumsden Road, is sponsoring both tournaments.

The action kicks off today, May 20, with the 2011 Florida Freeshafters Open Spearfishing Tournament in the waters off Tampa Bay. The anglers will return to O’Brien’s Sunday, May 22 where they will show off and weigh their catch.

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O'Brien's Fishing Club will hold the club’s annual Mackerel Tournament May 21.

All the fish from both events will go to Tampa Bay Harvest, a charity specializing in perishable food.

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“It’s a great chance to give back to the community and for families to have a great time as well,” said Sean Rice, co-owner of O’Brien’s.

Brandon resident Will Carey, general manager of Tampa Bay Harvest will be on hand both days to collect the fish.

“It’s a win-win all the way around,” Carey said.

Tampa Bay Harvest volunteers we will be gathering the fish Saturday and Sunday afternoon and loading it into our truck for delivery to a walk-in refrigerator at Lighthouse Gospel Mission in Progress Village.

“Monday morning we will then be distributing the fish to more than 20 agencies in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties,” Carey said.

On a budget of a mere $50,000, Tampa Bay Harvest collects perishable food from all over the Bay area and sends it on to missions and food banks to help feed the hungry and homeless. Last year, the group distributed more than 4 million pounds of food.

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