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Kennesaw,
GA - Bassmaster Classic Champion Alton Jones and Yamaha Marine Group announced
today a joint effort benefiting youth through the sport of pro bass
fishing. After his recent Classic win, Jones pledged to donate $10 for
every pound of fish he catches through the end of the year to Lifeline
Youth and Family Services. Yamaha agreed to match Jones' donation
'pound-for-pound' in 2008.
Lifeline, a non-profit dedicated to rebuilding the lives of at-risk youth, is an organization that is especially close to Jones'
heart.
"I first got involved with Lifeline in an event called 'Fishing
with the Pros.' It's the first organization that I have been
associated with that makes it really easy to get involved," said
Jones. "Once I started working with Lifeline and began to gain a
deeper understanding about what they are doing, I realized that they
weren't just throwing money at a cause, they were reaching children by
actually acting and doing something to help. Lifeline has truly
changed the lives of these children who, without the help of this
organization, would have little hope."
The money generated by both Yamaha Marine Group and Jones this year will go to the addition of a new Lifeline campus, complete with
alternative school and five new residential wings.
"Some of these kids can't go home. With the new facility, every child will have their own room specifically designed to meet their
needs and prepare them for independent living," said Mark Terrell, CEO
of Lifeline. "It's a proven fact that 75 percent of men and women
currently incarcerated are from a dysfunctional family, and that rate
isn't dropping fast enough. We're here to do everything we can to make
that statistic obsolete and we greatly appreciate the help from Alton
and from our friends at Yamaha."
Last year alone Lifeline served over seven thousand high-risk
children and plans on assisting another nine thousand this year. One
of the organization's main goals is not just to change the situation
these children are in, but to also make a lasting difference in their
lives. Lifeline provides safe, secure environment for children who may
be living in compromising situations. Through their Home Base Service,
Lifeline also goes into the homes of these children to help educate
their parents on ways on improve their lives. For more information
about Lifeline or to get involved, please visit http://www.lifelineyouth.org/.
Yamaha Marine products are marketed throughout the United States and around the world. Yamaha Marine Group, based in Kennesaw, Ga.,
supports its 2,200 U.S. dealers and OEM partners with marketing,
training and parts for Yamaha's full line of products and strives to
be the industry leader in reliability, technology and customer
service. Yamaha Marine is the only outboard company to have earned
NMMA(R)'s C.S.I. Customer Satisfaction Index award every year since
its inception. Visit www.yamahaoutboards.com.
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