Thomasville Furniture Donates Hemingway Fighting Chair To Big Rock

Furniture World Magazine

Thomasville Furniture donated a set of Hemingway Pilar Fighting chairs and matching pub table to The 43rd annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament to be auctioned for charity at the awards party on Saturday, June 16. The chair set is the newest edition to the popular Ernest Hemingway Collection by Thomasville, and will be available in stores in October. "Thomasville’s new Hemingway Pilar Fighting chair is reminiscent of Hemingway’s marlin fishing days in Havana," said Chris Pfaff, President and CEO for Thomasville Furniture Industries, Inc. "Our involvement with the Big Rock was a natural connection, especially since the proceeds go to charity." The Big Rock raised a record $167,500 for charities after the 1999 tourney. The 2001 goal is set to exceed this amount. This year’s charities are: • Boys and Girls Clubs of Carteret County • Broad Street Clinic • Carteret Chapter of the NC Symphony • Carteret County Domestic Violence • Core Sound Waterfowl Museum • Eckerd Youth Alternatives • Foundation for Shackleford Horses • Hope Missio n • IGFA • Newport Developmental Center • Station Club • Take a Kid Fishing • UNC Lineberger Cancer Center "We are thrilled to have Thomasville participate in this year’s Big Rock Tournament," said Big Rock Director Crystal Watters. "Thomasville has extensive national recognition with strong community ties in North Carolina, just like the Big Rock. It’s a natural fit." The Big Rock Tournament began 43 years ago when Members of the Fabulous Fishing Club, a loose-knit Morehead City organization of anglers and fishermen, got together with several local merchants and offered a cash prize to the first fisherman able to catch a blue marlin in waters off the Crystal Coast. The tournament was intended to promote deep-sea fishing and to help support the area's infant charter boat industry. The Big Rock has continued to grow, with over 200 boats participating in this year’s tournament, June 9-16. The event is part of the World Billfish Series (WBS) and joins some of the most prestigious marlin fishing events in the world. The WBS is comprised of 5 IOC tournaments and 18 USDC tournaments. For more information about the Big Rock, call 252-247-3575 or visit www.thebigrock.com. Thomasville Furniture Inc. is located in Thomasville, NC. Thomasville employs 7,800 people in more than 20 plants in four states across the South. More than half of the work force is local, however, living and working in Thomasville. For more information about Thomasville Furniture and their home furnishing offerings, please call 1-800-225-0265 or visit www.thomasville.com.