Fish N MateWhen Jim Cheek entered the Johnnie Mercer’s Pier Dogfish Tournament back in January he did not catch a winning fish. However, he bought a raffle ticket that later won a Fish-N-Mate Power Cart. The winning ticket was drawn on Sunday, March 18 at theCape Fear Wildlife Expo in Wilmington.

“I’m thrilled,” said Cheek, an angler from Newport, N.C.” I saw the power cart at the tournament and thought it was a really great idea. I bought five tickets for $20 and I was happy to help a worthwhile cause.”

Cheek can now move his gear to the pier with ease, thanks to William Clardy, who invented the Power Cart and demonstrated the cart at the tournament and at the Expo. Clardy also drew the winning ticket. Aaron Ramsey, owner of Angler’s Fish-N-Mate, donated the cart. The cart has an electric motor that allows it to move easily cart over soft sand with ease.

The raffle netted $835 for the North Carolina Access Foundation, Inc. The Foundation is dedicated to increasing and enhancing all forms of public access, with an emphasis on saving boat ramps and ocean fishing piers. NCPAF, Inc. has now raised nearly $8,000 and has donated funds for preserving the Oak Island Fishing Pier, repairing the boat ramps at Oak Island and building the North Carolina Wildlife Commission’s Lewis Road Boating Access Area in Pender County. The foundation has also restored the Commissions Adopt-A-Boat Ramp program. NCPAF, Inc. is a (501) (c) non-profit organization.

To learn more about the North Carolina Fishing Pier Society, visitwww.ncfps.com. For information about Fish-N-Mate pier carts and Power Carts, visit www.fishnmate.com.