RALEIGH - Saturday, as Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament week cranks up, another fishing event will take place just down the Morehead City waterfront from Big Rock headquarters.

Richard Anderson and his band of around 200 volunteers will hold MAD III. The acronym stands for Military Appreciation Day, and the event is an act of gratitude for more than 350 military personnel from all branches of the armed services.

The fishing will take place on about 70 boats ranging from kayaks to 120-foot head boats. MAD II was staged out of U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Macon last year, but Anderson lost the venue, so City Park and Jaycee Park will suffice, and the boaters will pick up their charges at Gulf Gas dock and the Olympic Dive Center docks on the waterfront.

Anderson, 41, is an information technology project manager for Wachovia in Charlotte. He has never donned a uniform or manned a post but has great respect for those who have. A history professor in college also had a hand in shaping his views.

"I remember hearing the way our Vietnam veterans were treated," he said from Charlotte. "I had a history professor who bragged to our class about protesting them. I wanted to make sure that would never happen again."

Anderson started out as a boat volunteer in the beginning, but his personal interest and his experience in project management soon had him coordinating the event.

"I've learned a lot and met a lot of amazing people," he said.

It's no mean feat to throw a party like this. The numbers speak volumes: 70 boaters, 200 volunteers, 350 soldiers. It costs the group about $17,000 to do it, on top of massive donations and discounts.

Anderson said Murphy Farms donated six hogs for cooking, and Pepsi donated 500 cans of soda. The head boats gave him a discount rate of $1,500 off, the big charter boats donated $1,500 trips and the inshore guides $500 forays. The majority of boaters -- weekend warriors -- donate time, gas, lodging, tackle and other things. The loss of the Station Fort Macon saw unlikely folks step up to help.

The Big Rock people had reserved the two parks for their event but donated them to MAD III. Dave Tilley, captain of the Continental Shelf head boat, was key in securing dock space.

"He saved us from not being able to use private boats," Anderson said. "We'd be chartering a few boats and having a small cookout instead."

The event isn't just for the troops. Military families -- many are single-parent -- come out and "borrow a Dad" for a day as kids fish from the shore and go on private boat rides to see the horses on Shackleford Banks.

Diamond City Cruises will take more than 100 folks to sight-see. While the event has grown, the concept remains simple.

"All year long, people should be saying 'thanks' to our soldiers," Anderson said. "It's a simple gesture. Not everyone can put on an event for 800 people, but everyone can say 'thank you.' "

If you want to help say "thanks," go to www.militaryappreciationday.org and poke around. Next year, there'll be a soldier who appreciates the gesture.