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Tourney lets pro give back to community

By Geary McSpadden
USASOC Public Affairs

JORDAN LAKE, N.C. (Sine Pari, April 19, 2008) –– Why would a professional angler who earns his living winning money at pro fishing tournaments, spend three hours prepping his fishing gear, hook-up his top-of-the-line bass boat at 4:30 a.m., and drive 50 miles to a fishing tournament where he cannot win any money, team up with an amateur fisherman and lend his equipment and expertise?

The reason Fayetteville’s own pro angler Marty Stone volunteers to give of himself this way is because of a love affair.

“I’m in love with this community,” said Stone in regards to the Fayetteville-Fort Bragg-Pope Air Force Base community.

Stone was one of more than 20 pro anglers who volunteered to take a military member fishing in the third Warriors on the Water fishing tournament at Jordan Lake April 18.

Stone’s fishing partner this year was Staff Sgt. Shawn Adams, a U. S. Army Special Operations Command Soldier and wounded warrior. It’s also Adam’s second year fishing the WOW tournament.

“It’s a great way to spend the day,” Adams said. “It’s great that these guys are donating their time. I get to learn things and hang out with the pros.”

Adams was wounded in Afghanistan during an ambush in 2005. Although he’s currently working after a two year-recovery and still has surgery scheduled, he works under physical restrictions and walks with the aid of a cane.

Adams is one of 180 military members who participated in this year’s WOW tournament and one of more than 800 USASOC Soldiers who have been wounded since the beginning of the War on Terror.

“I respect the military members a lot for what they do,” Stone said. “If my coming here to fish with them makes them happy, then I’m glad to do it.” This is the second year Stone volunteered to sponsor a Soldier. “I’ll do this every year I can when I’m here during the WOW tournament,” he said.

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