A bass tournament honoring a late Jacksonville public servant is coming up later this month. The 21st annual Bruce Robson Memorial Bass Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, October 21st at Lake Jacksonville. It’s the final bass tournament of the season at the lake.
Bruce’s mother, Pat says the Jacksonville community has shown tremendous support over the history of the tournament: “I can’t tell you in the 21 years the help that we’ve had from this community and how good they have been. If you just think how every year money is worse, money’s tighter, we’re not going to be able to do what we would like to do; and it always turns out okay. We have had several fishermen come from out of state. They follow bass tournaments. Of course, Lake Jacksonville is loaded with good bass as fortune goes. This will be the last bass tournament out at the lake this year on October 21st.”
Robson says they are changing the way they are raising money this year for the two charities that they regularly support – the Jacksonville Citizens Police Academy and the Jacksonville High School Bass Fishing Team. Robson says they give to the academy since Bruce was a Jacksonville Police officer at the time of his death in 2002. She says they give to the high school bass fishing team because Bruce was an avid outdoorsman and his brother Glenn also happens to coach the team.
Organizers for the tournament are selling tickets on a raffle drawing for a brand new pellet grill donated by Midland Farm & Home and a $300 gift certificate to Jones Meat & Locker.
Robson says you can pick up your tickets for the drawing this Friday at a special tent at Midland’s: “We are going to have a booth set up this Friday evening to sell tickets. Those are $10 each and 3 for $25, so it’s building up our funds with that, too. We’ve had a lot of cash donations. Some will go out for the cash prizes for the tournament. Every year it works very well, and praise God.”
The booth for ticket sales will open up at 3:30PM on Friday.
According to the Memorial Tournament Facebook Page, there are still corporate sponsorships for the cash prizes for the tournament that are open. Sponsorship for 2nd place at $400 and 4th place for $200 are still available. If you would like to be a sponsor, contact Glenn Robson at 217-883-2742 or Pat Robson at 217-370-2399. Pat says you can also stop by the booth on Friday and drop off your donation in person. All donors will be recognized with a special board on the day of the tournament.