Belhaven fishing tournament donates $30,000 for new scholarship

Published 2:26 pm Friday, March 28, 2025

WASHINGTON, NC — The Beaufort County Community College Foundation has received a $30,000 donation from the Second Annual Belhaven Trout Tournament and Festival, held in October 2024. The next tournament is scheduled for October 10–11, 2025, in Belhaven and will feature prizes and trophies, a pig cooking contest, food, craft, and display vendors. This most recent donation follows a $40,000 contribution from the inaugural tournament in 2023. With the new funding, the Foundation will establish a second scholarship, this time supporting students in healthcare technician programs trades such as Nurse Aide, Registered Medical Assistant, and Pharmacy Technician and skilled trades such as Heating & Air Technician, Industrial Sewing, CDL Truck Driving and other programs.

Captain Hugh Sutton of Pungo Charters, LLC, a member of the Belhaven Chamber of Commerce, introduced the tournament concept to attract recreational fishing tourists and support students at the community college.

“Knowing the great fishing for speckled trout in this area, it seemed that a fishing tournament would be a great fundraiser,” said Sutton. “There were two goals that we wanted to achieve: help local students financially so they can pursue the marine industry and bring people to the Belhaven area to support local businesses.”

The Belhaven Chamber of Commerce hosted the first annual tournament and festival in October 2023, establishing its first scholarships for students entering marine- and boatbuilding-related programs at Beaufort CCC.

The new scholarship will focus on short-term healthcare technician training, including Nurse Aide, Medical Billing and Coding, Pharmacy Technician, Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist, Phlebotomy Technician, Sterile Central Processing, and EKG/Cardiovascular Technician in addition to HVAC, CDL Truck Driving, Basic Law Enforcement Training, Industrial Sewing & Upholstery, and other skilled trades. To qualify, students must demonstrate financial need, maintain a GPA of at least 2.0, and reside in one of BCCC’s service regions or surrounding counties, including Pitt, Pamlico, and Martin.

“This consistent and substantial support from Captain Sutton and the Belhaven Trout Tournament and Festival is a gamechanger for our students,” said Serena Sullivan, Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Beaufort CCC. “Through the existing scholarship, we were able to support 22 students who are now building sustainable careers in our region this past academic year.”

Students enrolling in short-term training programs should apply through the Division of Continuing Education. The college is currently registering students for summer courses.

For more information about the next Belhaven Trout Tournament and Festival, visithttps://www.belhaventroutfest.com.