BIG ROCK SETS NEW RECORD WITH $2 MILLION IN ANNUAL GIVING
$2 million awarded to organizations across Eastern North Carolina, bringing total contributions to nearly $14 million since 1986.
MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (December 2, 2025) —Big Rock is honored to announce a record-breaking $2,000,000 in charitable giving for 2025, a milestone made possible by the unwavering support of the Big Rock community. This year’s funds will be distributed among a diverse group of charities that play crucial roles in education, healthcare, community improvement, and conservation. With this year’s gifts, Big Rock’s charitable impact reaches $13,962,948 contributed to organizations since 1986.
“Big Rock’s purpose has always been simple, to make this community as good as it possibly can be. When I first joined the board, we were giving about $20,000 a year to charity. Seeing that grow into what it is today has been remarkable. From cultural arts centers and aquariums to hospitals, ballfields, playgrounds, and schools, Big Rock has been instrumental in many of the things that make this community what it is.
And through all those years, one thing has never changed: we put Charity First. I’ve fished in more than 50 Big Rock tournaments, and what sets it apart is simple, everyone feels good about entering because they know that even if they don’t win, the community will.” – Casey Wagner, Big Rock President
A significant portion of this year’s giving will support students and educators across Carteret County, with $666,000 allocated to 14 of the county’s 19 public schools. These contributions will help create and enhance outdoor learning centers, upgrade athletic facilities, purchase new musical instruments, improve library collections, and support a wide range of academic and enrichment needs identified by principals throughout the district.
Major contributions this year also include $150,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plains to support construction of their new Beaufort facility, a space that will provide mentorship, safety, guidance, and opportunities for the next generation. Big Rock will also award $100,000 to the Town of Atlantic Beach for the construction of the new Big Rock Take A Kid Fishing Pier — a 200-foot pier with a 20-by-20 platform located at the base of the Atlantic Beach bridge. This project will create a welcoming, accessible fishing spot for families, children, and visitors for years to come.
The Foundation is also proud to award $50,000 to the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores for enhancements to the Tidal Waters Exhibit Touch Tank. Big Rock’s grant is part of the Poole Family Challenge, a generous pledge by Ven and Lisa Poole to match every gift made in support of this exhibit, up to $500,000. The Poole family has deep ties to Big Rock, winning the tournament in 1998 — Ven and Lisa are avid tournament participants aboard the 67′ Jarrett Bay Waste Knot, and Ven’s father, Lonnie Poole, is a longtime Big Rock Board member, now serving in emeritus status. Their commitment to this project adds another layer of meaning to Big Rock’s contribution.
Additional awards will support organizations and municipalities across the county, including local sheriff and police departments, public works initiatives, and other community-driven projects that strengthen safety, infrastructure, and public spaces.
“Each Big Rock giving cycle seems to get more exciting and more challenging. We had a record number of grant requests this year, which makes for an overwhelming but incredibly gratifying decision-making process. We are thrilled to continue our support of schoolchildren, young people, and their families throughout the region with a record-breaking year of contributions.” – Tommy Bennett, Big Rock Vice President & Charity Committee Chairman
Big Rock will continue its annual commitment to its Core Charities, providing $139,500 to 10 longstanding partners working in healthcare, youth development, community outreach, and conservation initiatives. Among these, the Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament supports Carteret Health Care by providing funding for comfort and care items and resources that women can use while receiving treatment. The Big Rock Kids Billfish Tournament will also award $35,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plains, supporting their programs and day-to-day operations in addition to the $150,000 contribution from the Foundation.
This year’s total also includes $180,000 in Board Discretionary Funds, allowing the Board to extend its reach beyond the organizations already selected for 2025.
In 2020, Big Rock contributed $551,000 to charity. By 2021, the organization crossed the $1 million mark for the first time, matched that milestone again in 2022, and went on to contribute $1,684,000 in 2023 and $1,711,000 in 2024. In just five years, Big Rock’s charitable giving has nearly quadrupled, and since 2021, it has more than doubled. That growth is driven by the success of the tournament, the Big Rock retail store, and the unwavering support of the Big Rock community.
“Each year, we are reminded that the Big Rock Family is built on far more than what happens at the scales in June. The passion of our participants, sponsors, spectators, staff, and volunteers transforms this tournament into something with real purpose. Their belief in what Big Rock stands for is what allows us to make such meaningful investments in our community, and witnessing that impact firsthand is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.” – Madison Struyk, Big Rock Executive Director
Every dollar Big Rock donates is a direct reflection of the people who choose to be part of the Big Rock Family: the participants who fish with us, the sponsors who believe in our mission, the spectators who show up year after year, the customers who support our retail store, and the staff and Board who pour their passion into this organization. Their support transforms what began as a fishing tournament into something far greater — a vessel for community impact, creating meaningful change across Eastern North Carolina.
As Big Rock continues to grow, so does the reach of our giving. This year’s record $2 million ensures that our commitment to conservation initiatives, community support, education, and opportunity remains strong for generations to come.
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