Contact: Larry Rea, Media Director, Expo South Media Coordinator

EXPO SOUTH PRESS RELEASE

This vendor has a special message at Mid-South Hunting & Fishing Extravaganza

As usual, there will be no shortage of vendors at the 12th annual Mid-South Hunting & Fishing Extravaganza, which annually serves as the ‘kick off’ event for the fall hunting and fishing seasons. In fact, show producer Expo South will fill every available booth space for this year’s show, which is set for Aug. 11-12-13 at Agricenter International off Walnut Grove and Germantown Parkway in Memphis.
For one vendor, it’ll be a time to help spread the good news about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.
In the spring of 2004, a longtime dream came true for Barney Davison and his son, Mike, owners of Indian Creek Outfitters in Savannah, Tenn., when they combined their love of children with their love of the outdoors to create what has become in a short period of time one of the nation’s premier hunting events for youth -- Hunting for a Cure Youth Turkey Hunt.
The Davisons and former Arlington, Tenn., resident Dave Norval, who now lives in Savannah, started off their vision with 15 youth hunters in 2005. For a $100 donation to St. Jude, each youth was taken on a guided turkey hunt. The one-day event raised $3,400 . . . and set the stage for bigger and better things in 2006.
What started out with a goal of $10,000 in 2006 continued to climb until it topped $30,000.
And now, Norval and others believe it’s possible to raise more than $100,000 in 2007.
Norval, who is the manager and chief guide of Indian Creek Outfitters, will help man the Hunting for a Cure booth at this year’s MSHFE. Since the end of the 2006 turkey season he has worked at least four hours a day every day spreading the word about the 2007 Hunt for a Cure Youth Hunt. At least 16 World and Grand National Turkey Calling Champions have told him they’d be at the 2007 hunt, along with 57 nationally known game calling companies.
“We have a chance to do something that has never been done before (exceed the record amount of funds raised for a sporting event for St. Jude),” Norval said, noting that he has received e-mails from all across the country with questions about the 2007 HFC.
Show hours for the MSHFE, which is sponsored by News Channel 3 WREG-TV, Backyard Burgers and Rancho Ala Blanca, will be 2-9 p.m. Aug. 11, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Aug. 12 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 13. Ticket prices are $8 for adults and $3 for children 7-14. Children 6 and under are free. All military service men and women with proper identification will be admitted for half-price during the show. As usual, parking is free.
Also, Expo South officials – in an effort to show their support of St. Jude – will allow anyone who is a patient of St. Jude, along with his or her immediate family to attend this year’s show free.