Annual Fishing Tournament To Benefit North Shore Food Pantries

The following press release was submitted by the Leo Almeida Memorial North Shore Striped Bass Tournament. 

Tickets are now on sale at local bait shops for the Ninth Annual North Shore Striped Bass Tournament, to benefit local food pantries in memory of a longtime Danvers town official, held on Labor Day weekend. 

The Leo Almeida Memorial North Shore Striped Bass Tournament is the only tournament that combines the North Shore’s fishing heritage with the fight against hunger. The tournament, now in its ninth year, will benefit the in Danvers, Gloucester's Open Door Pantry, Our Neighbor’s Table in Amesbury and Essex County Hunger Relief.

The tournament will be held Labor Day weekend, Sept. 3-5. Prizes up to $500 will be awarded in various categories, including boat, shore/surf, and for youth 15 and under. A raffle of dozens of prizes will also be held. Those who wish to donate to the pantries can enter and will also be eligible to win raffle prizes.

The entry fee is $15. Tickets are available at bait shops around the North Shore, including in Lynn, Beverly, Danvers, Gloucester, Essex, Salem and Saugus. Ticket sales end on Friday, Sept. 2.

Leo Almeida was a lifelong North Shore resident whose commitment to public service was matched by his love of fishing. He died in 2003 shortly before the first North Shore Striped Bass Tournament that he organized. Now family and friends carry on the tournament in his name each year.  In the past eight years, the tournament has raised nearly $30,000 for food pantries in Amesbury, Danvers and Gloucester. About 900 people have participated since the tournament began.

To enter or for more information, see www.northshorestriper.com or call Tournament Chairwoman Amy Almeida at (617) 501-1659.