The Orange County Register
Story appeared in the Sports section
on page E
ID: 50833467
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Edition: 1
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Outdoors County anglers send tuna to New York to help feed the crews at ground zero.
Casting out to rescue workers
September 18, 2001
Byline: DAVE STREGE
Credit:
Sometime tonight near ground zero, if all goes as planned, tuna dinners will be served to rescue workers courtesy of Southern California anglers.
In an act of love of country and humanity, recreational anglers rallied behind two Orange County fishermen and their idea to donate the fish they caught this season to the relief efforts in New York City.
From one plea for help on the Allcoast Sportfishing Web site came an outpouring of support from other anglers. The response overwhelmed Chuck Robinson, 47, of Anaheim and Earl Durham, 41 of Irvine.
``The original idea was for us to find a way to refocus our energy away from the negative,'' Durham said. ``Neither of us thought it would mushroom into what it has become.''
What it has become is a pipeline of frozen fish going from Orange County to New York City, the formation of a non-profit organization called ``Fish For America,'' a Web site being constructed (FISH4AMERICA.org or .com), and a stream of funds into a special account.
An estimated $1,000 has been donated to the cause. Robinson said the money will be used to facilitate delivery of the fish to New York.
``Whatever money is left over when this is done will be donated to the New York City Firefighter's Fund for Widows and Orphans,'' Robinson said.
Robinson conceived the idea Thursday morning when he heard on the radio a plea for food by the Hard Rock Café in Manhattan. Durham, a friend, liked Robinson's idea and the ball began to roll.
New Fish All Bait Co. in Gardena agreed to collect and store the fish. Southern California Federal Express of Irvine employees raised funds to provide the shipping.
A thousand pounds of mostly frozen, vaccum-packed tuna are to arrive this morning in New York and be trucked to the Hard Rock Café in Manhattan. Three thousand pounds more is awaiting delivery.
The restaurant will distribute the fish to local catering trucks and the fish will be cooked on site.
``I think these guys are getting full on pasta and everything else under the sun,'' said Steven Conner, assistant general manager at the Hard Rock Café. ``This will be a welcome change for them.''
For information, call Robinson at (714) 883-6670.
Contact Strege at (714) 796-7809 or dstrege@ocregister.com
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