The Jersey Coast Anglers Association (JCAA) held their annual Sportsperson of the Year Dinner on November 12 at the Captain’s Inn in Forked River. “It was a festive occasion with 118 guests enjoying the fine food and other activities,” JCAA noted in the organization’s December newsletter, noting that dinner was followed by guest speaker Jim Merritt, an environmental educator.
“However, the highlights and purpose of the event was to present awards to some truly deserving individuals,” JCAA noted, adding “Wayne Geider of the Hudson River Fishermen’s Association (HRFA) won our prestigious Sportsperson of the Year Award. Ken Rylak of the Fish Hawks Saltwater Fishing Club was presented with our Youth Education Award and long-time JCAA board member, Paul Turi, received a special Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Geider, a former recipient of HRFA’s most prestigious Pete Barrett Achievement Award, has been an active member of the HRFA’s Board of Directors for the past 20 years or more, and has led that group’s Youth Angler Program for many years as well.
“Wayne is not one to rest on his laurels either,” HRFA stated in its nomination for Geider as JCAA Sportsperson of the Year, adding “Even though he is now in his 80’s his level of contributions has hardly slowed. Like the Energizer Bunny he just keeps going, and going and going.”
Congratulations to Wayne and the rest of the JCAA award recipients. More info can be found at jcaa.org.
