By JIMMY LAWTON

WADDINGTON –Mayor Janet Otto-Cassada is calling on organizations, municipalities and individuals to help with fundraising efforts for the 2018 Bass Elite Series, which kicks off this August in Waddington.

Otto-Cassada says the event draws roughly 33,000 people over the four-day weekend making it one of the most successful tourism events in the county.

However the event requires a large investment. She said the four-day weekend costs about $120,000, which is far more than the village can afford on its own. In the past the village has relied on grants, municipalities, organizations and volunteers to help fund and facilitate the events surrounding the massive fishing tournament.

Otto-Cassada says the tournament is a boon for every town and village in county as the event generates a surge in sales tax, but even more so for communities along the St. Lawrence River like, Ogdensburg, Lisbon, Louisville and Massena. She says people who attend the event rent campsites, buy gas and groceries at the local businesses.

To ensure the 2018 Bass Elite Tournament, which sets the stage for the national championship, is successful, the mayor has been visiting municipalities asking for contributions for the event. She says no donation is too small.

“Everyone benefits. It brings money in for local businesses, it brings in sales tax revenue. Every single town and village gets a little bit,” she said.

Otto-Cassada says St. Lawrence County lacks the huge businesses and massive chamber of commerce that most Bass tournament hosts enjoy.

“We don’t have those kind of resources. So we have to rely on our communities,” she said.

She says Sen. Patty Richie has been supportive of the event, and St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union has been a partner since the first tournament was held in Waddington in 2015. Otto-Cassada said the tournament events also require a lot of volunteers.

“We have a lot of volunteers that come and put this on, we can not do this without them,” she said.

To raise money this year a GoFundMe page is also in the works. The website allows individuals to make monetary donations online.

In the meantime, those looking to donate to the event can reach out to the village office at 315-388-5629.