34 foundation news PBCFF Supports a Variety of Initiatives The Fishing Club’s charitable affiliate, the Palm Beach County Fishing Foundation (PB- CFF) continues to aid many worthwhile conservation and educational initiatives. Some of the programs that have earned the PBCFF’s support include: sponsorship of the FWC Snook Symposium held in Orlando in Janu- ary; a contribution to the Andrew 'Red' Harris Reef project for placement of a reef module off Juno Beach; the creation of two new ‘Rising Star’ annual scholarships for returning stu- dentsattheRivieraBeachMaritimeAcademy; production of the annual Wounded Water- front Warrior Fishing Day held each spring; donations of new fishing rods and reels to community based youth organizations like recreation centers, church groups and Boy Scouts; annual contributions to the Coastal Conservation Association of Florida, Wild Oceans, Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful and the Dolphinfish Research Program; and a contribution to a unique research effort underway in the Florida Keys to help unlock the mysteries of culturing larval spiny sea urchins that may one day provide significant benefit to our coral reefs. The PBCCF also continues to provide an- nual scholarships at Palm Beach Atlantic University, Florida Atlantic University, the Forest Hill High School GALE Environmen- tal Science & Technology Academy and the Jupiter High School Environmental Research and Field Studies Academy. “As the PBCFF continues to grow we look forward to having an even greater impact in our community. There is more need than ever before to assist with resource conservation and youth educa- tion programs. It is part of our organization’s mission and legacy to help make a difference,” said WPBFC Chairman Pete Schulz. The WPBFC Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the PBCFF’s John Rybovich Endowment is very close to reaching the one-million-dollar milestone it set out to achieve decades ago (the balance is currently $906,000). In 1992, the board approved the creation of the endowment to help ensure the financial stability and growth of the PBCFF. The endowment principal is professionally managed, with oversight from the PBCFF finance committee, and is invested with a long-term balanced strategy. Only earnings are used to support board approved projects and initiatives. Continued growth of this special fund will help perpetuate the PBCFF’s educational and conservation initiatives, and give our orga- nization the ability to launch new programs in the future. If you would like to help us attain our million dollar goal in 2016, all donations are tax deductible, and can be made payable to the John Rybovich Endowment Fund, c/o the PBCFF, 201 5th Street, West Palm Beach, FL. 33401. The PBCFF is very grateful for the support of the many Fishing Club members who, through the years, have generously donated to the endowment. Endowment Nears 1 Million The foundation sponsored Harris reef module began attracting goliath grouper soon after it was deployed. 2015 & 2016 PBAU scholarship recipient Emily Ruple (c), pictured with Dr. Ray Waldner (l) & PBCFF President Tom Twyford (r). Topp Library Donated to FIU Save the Date for LobsterFest... The 4th annual Singer Island Spiny LobsterFest is set for Saturday, August 6th, noon to 8pm at the Sailfish Marina. The WPBFC and its charitalbe affiliate, The Palm Beach County Fishing Foundation have once again been chosen as the beneficiary of this event. Please come out and support us and enjoy a fun day with great eats! We hope to see you there! Last year the PBCFF acquired the per- sonal library of Robert W. Topp, a former senior research scientist at the Florida Ma- rine Research Institute in St. Petersburg. Topp, now retired, had accumulated quite an extensive collection of rare ichthyologic, fisheries research and marine fish publica- tions. Some of the volumes were quite old dating back to the late 1800’s. The collec- tion was appraised at over $10,000. “Bob Topp did a lot of accomplished research on his own and oversaw the research of a lot of others at the marine lab. He was quite a talented biologist. He trained me, John Jolley and other marine scientists on how to conduct fisheries research. He was a wonderful mentor,” commented WPBFC member Dale Beaumariage, who worked with Topp in St. Pete in the 1970s. While the foundation would have enjoyed keeping the documents at the Fishing Club, the WPBFC board of directors decided that the library would be better suited at a facility where it could be easily accessed by students and researchers. After some investigation the extensive library was donated to Florida International University (FIU) located in North Miami. “I want to thank the Palm Beach County Fishing Foundation for this very generous donation. Our faculty and students are excited to have access to these resources,” commented Kevin Boswell, As- sistant Professor of FIU’s Marine Sciences Program in the Department of Biological Sciences. The PBCFF wishes to thank Dale BeaumariageandJohnJolleyfortheirgener- ous support and involvement in this effort.