HEBER SPRINGS — Fishermen and other outdoorsmen in Heber Springs and surrounding areas can find an educational atmosphere for sportsmen while raising funds for local organizations, according to organizers of the Anglers Expo. The expo began last year, and its organizers hope for an equally exciting response as they plan for the second annual gathering.
The expo is slated for March 13 and 14 at the Heber Springs Community Center. The event is organized by the Rotary Club of Cleburne County, and proceeds from the expo will benefit other local clubs and organizations.
“The Rotary motto is ‘Service above self,’” said Mark Johnson, vice president of the Rotary Club of Cleburne County. “Our club is 23 years old. We have about 30 members. Everything we do with these volunteer fundraisers is intended to raise money for good causes in the community.”
Past fundraisers have included golf tournaments, garage sales and cookbook sales. They have all been successful, but the Rotary Club of Cleburne County is looking forward to seeing the Anglers Expo continue to grow as the club’s main source of fundraising.
“All of those are the fundraisers we’ve used in the past,” Johnson said. “This one is going to be our focus going forward just because we were so blessed to have the success we had last year.”
Last year, an estimated 2,500 people attended the expo, and more than $20,000 was raised for many programs, including the Heber Springs Community Center Youth Summer Camp, Child Care Aware of Northcentral Arkansas, the Boy Scouts and the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Cleburne County.
Johnson said each benefactor submitted grant proposals, and those proposals were reviewed by the Rotary Club’s board.
It is incredible that a similar event had not already been created, Johnson said. The community celebrated the 50th anniversary of Greers Ferry Dam in October 2013, but last year’s Anglers Expo was the first event of its kind that Johnson could remember.
“It’s surprising that with the fact that we live in this spot in a town that has the lake on one side and the river on the other, it took so long for anyone to organize an event to celebrate the water sports,” he said. “The biggest brown-trout record was held at Heber Springs for a long time. It was 40 pounds, 4 ounces and was caught in the Little Red River. That record was held from 1992 to 2009. There are taxidermy reproductions of that fish at several locations throughout Heber Springs. It’s amazing how big that fish was. This is the kind of heritage that we want to highlight for people.”
In addition to the vendor booths that will be available, several sportsmen will give seminars during the expo. These outdoor experts include Chuck Farneth, Jamie Rouse, Jeff Smith, Cody Smith, Tommy Cauley, Vince Sherrill and Wayne Stewart.
“All of those individuals will be conducting 45-minute seminars during the event,” Johnson said. “We have some of the most-successful guides and sportsmen anywhere.”
The featured guest for this year’s expo will be John Godwin from Duck Commander and Duck Dynasty, the reality television show spawned by the outdoor business that produces waterfowl calls among other products. Johnson said last year’s guests from Swamp People, another highly rated outdoor TV show, were a hit.
“John Godwin will be there more for selfies and autographs,” he said. “Last year we had three of ‘The Swamp People,’ and I was pleasantly surprised at how much of an attraction they were.”
There are a lot of people to thank, Johnson said, and the Rotary Club is grateful for the assistance it has received in making both last year’s and this year’s events successful.
“This goes to support some very worthwhile organizations that need a lot of public support,” he said of the expo and its proceeds. “I do not want to miss an opportunity to thank David Mitchell — Mountain Man — for all he does behind the scenes.”
There is still space for more vendors, and Johnson said Rotary Club officials look forward to filling those spots.
“We have a dozen spots for booths that we’d still like to fill,” Johnson said. “We want to focus on our theme of sports and outdoor-related exhibitors. We would welcome calls from last-minute exhibitors who are interested in participating in this.”
The cost to attend the second annual Anglers Expo is $5 for adults and $2 for children ages 5-12. Children 4 and younger will be admitted free.
For more information, visit www.anglersexpo.com, or call Mark Johnson at (501) 362-5858, Doug Murray at (479) 420-3001 or Dean Goodall at (501) 270-1008.
Staff writer Angela Spencer can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or aspencer@arkansasonline.com.