JMB Fishing Foundation’s Jimmy Bennett honored with humanitarian award at Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth
FORT WORTH, Texas (KWTX) - The founder of a nonprofit that takes terminally ill children and kids with disabilities fishing and hunting was honored with a humanitarian of the year award at the Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth over the weekend.
Jimmy Bennett, founder of JMB Fishing Foundation, a nonprofit with a mission to bring joy into the lives of others, was presented with the C.A.S.T for Kids B.A.S.S. Humanitarian of the Year award Saturday on stage in front of hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts at the Dickies Arena.
Jimmy was humbled by the award which had dozens of nominations.
“What an honor it is to represent the voice of so many children who are sometimes just overlooked and not included,” Jimmy said. “The thing is all these kids want is to be loved and feel important.”
Jimmy and his wife, Miranda, founded the JMB Fishing Foundation in 2018.
Since that time, he’s taken hundreds of kids with challenges out fishing and on hunting trips.
He’s also thrown birthday parties for kids with special needs and hosted a livestock show for kids with disabilities.
The award he was given states it was, “for his extraordinary commitment to having a positive impact on his community.”
Jay Yelas is a member of Bassmaster Hall of Fame and the 2002 Bassmaster Classic champion.
He’s also the founder of Cast for Kids, a nonprofit that supports kids with disabilities through fishing.
He said that there was no one more deserving that Jimmy.
“There were dozens of deserving people nominated for this award,” Yelas said. “This year’s winner is just an exemplary individual who does a tremendous amount of community service to make a positive impact in his community and there’s too many things to list, but he’s just touched a lot of lives in positive ways and he’s very deserving.”
Jimmy was only the sixth person honored with the prestigious award.
The past recipients were from Florida, Maryland, Colorado, Idaho and Nederland, Texas.
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