Rhea County fishing tourney work touted

Friday, January 1, 1904

photo Christine Ralph, Executive Director for the Community Needs Assessment Team and the Rhea County United Way

DAYTON, Tenn. -- Organizations across Rhea County worked together to land this weekend's pro fishing tournament here and accommodate its anglers, officials agreed.

Rhea Economic and Tourism Council Chairman Roger Panoz said it required "cooperation with all of the communities" involved to organize the FLW tournament at Lake Chickamauga.

Officials had worked to attract the tournament since last year. Anglers began arriving Sunday to practice for the event that kicks off Thursday.

Panoz said that, while visiting Canada, he saw in a national publication that the lake was highly ranked as a popular site. As a 22-year resident of Rhea County, he said, he was proud to see that the lake was so popular.

United Way Executive Director Christine Ralph said FLW leaders had offered to support the organization's annual "Stuff the Bus" campaign by making a $4 donation per flier distributed.

She said the United Way had received 100 fliers and additional tent-cards for distribution.

Chairman Ron Harris, of the council's Community Livability and Retiree Recruitment Committee, said the county had been approved to take part in the RetireTN program.

He said the county should capitalize on Tennessee's high ranking as a state in which to retire to attract more residents.

Kimberly McMillian is based in Rhea County. Contact her at kdj424@ bellsouth.net.