To the Editor:

The St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce thanks the many people – from anglers to volunteers – who helped make the 12th Annual St. Lawrence International Junior Carp Tournament a success.

Nearly 100 boys and girls (and a few parents!) participated in the catch-and-release tournament and the Mort Backus & Sons Fishing School this year. While some of the names and faces change, what remains constant each year is the tournament’s spirit of camaraderie, sportsmanship and fun.

Sponsors, volunteers and many others make the tournament possible. Sponsors this year included the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort, ARES / RACES, Azure River Group, Big Carp Tackle, Cape Air, Carp Anglers Group, Casella Waste , City of Ogdensburg, Coach’s Corner, ENV North Agency, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Fidelis Health Care, Fort LaPresentation, Great Northern Printing, GWN Baits, Jreck Subs Ogdensburg, Kuno Oil, LeBerge & Curtis, Madrid-Waddington Central School, Massena Savings & Loan, Mike’s Trophies, Mort Backus & Sons, NNY Outdoors magazine, New York Power Authority, North Country Savings Bank, Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority, Pepsi-Cola Ogdensburg Bottlers, Pizza Hut Ogdensburg, Potsdam Specialty Paper, Save the River, SeaComm FCU, Seaway Smokehouse, New York State Senator Patty Ritchie, Stewart’s Shops, Sullivan’s Office Supply, The Place, Time Warner, Town of Louisville, Town of Waddington, United Helpers, Village of Waddington, Waddington Chamber of Commerce, Wild Carp Companies, Tom and Christy Snider, and Derek VanHouse.

Many thanks, too, to Grand Marshal Matt Conger, and the marshals and other volunteers: Steve Conger, Steven Conger, Louie Kiah, Jay Foster, Jason Bernhardt, Jake Losey, Rick Greenier, Don Dobbs, Bob Giordano, Joel Hockey, Dan Skelly, Bill Zecher, Taylor Jones, Terry Jones, Lindsey Remington, Kevin Bateman, Pam Bateman, Mike Ripa, Alan Cole, Tim Lago, Gene Ackerman, Richard Cook, Sheryl Evans, Sue Gibbons, Tom Nesbitt, Abby McNamara, Steve VanPatten, Patty VanPatten, Jeanine Jarrett, Pam Dalton, and Kristian Green.

Finally, thank you to the young anglers and their parents for making the tournament a pleasure to host.

Jo Ann Roberts

Event Coordinator, St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce