Bass Fishing Aug - Sept 2018 | Page 13

uk WILDCatS VISIt FLW OFFICe the world,” says Kathy Fennel, FLW president of operations. “For most of them, this was their first introduction to the sport.” The Big Blue Caravan was an outreach effort led by Barnhart that included a five-day tour of communities with- in Kentucky. The stop at Marshall County included a public appearance at Marshall County High School, where people in the community were invited to visit with Barnhart, as well as student-athletes, UK Athletics Department staff, basket- ball coach John Calipari and football coach Mark Stoops. In June, FLW hosted members of the University of Kentucky Athletics Department, led by UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart, when the Wildcats came to Marshall County, Ky., as part of the university’s Big Blue Caravan tour. Marshall County is the home community of the FLW operations division. FLW employees provided a tour of the office and FLW Live studio, as well as some history of FLW and its role in the growth of competitive bass fishing. “I think most of them were very surprised at just how big the sport of bass fishing is, not only in Kentucky, but across auGuSt-SepteMber 2018 I FLWFISHING.COM 11