Fishing Tournament Nets Big Proceeds for Children’s Cancer Research

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The inaugural “Reelin’ for Research” fishing tournament raised more than $26,000 for children’s cancer research this past weekend in Morehead City, N.C.  The proceeds from the tournament will go to the North Carolina Children’s Promise, a statewide initiative benefiting the UNC North Carolina Children’s Hospital in Chapel Hill, N.C.

A field of 20 boats entered the tournament with some 200 anglers and other participants competing.  Each team raised at least $1,000 payable directly to the NC Children’s Promise as an “entry fee”.  In addition, the tournament committee secured multiple corporate sponsors including title sponsor Advanced Medical Corporation. 

“Donating $26,000 to this fantastic organization means a great deal to everyone involved with this event,” tournament chairman Richard Montana of Greensboro said.  “This money will directly impact the lives of many children who are fighting this dreadful disease. In our tough economic times, it amazes me that people are still willing to give so much of their resources for a good cause.”

Founded in 2002, the N.C. Children’s Promise is a year-round fundraising campaign that includes numerous events, projects and partnerships throughout North Carolina. Its mission is to secure financial and community resources to provide comprehensive, family-centered health care for the children of North Carolina and surrounding states.

Unrestricted, private support of the N.C. Children’s Promise helps the UNC Hospital provide advanced comprehensive care to children from all 100 counties in North Carolina, regardless of their families’ abilities to pay; maintain a family-focused, child-friendly environment while providing state-of-the-art care for children with complex and life-threatening health problems and continue cutting-edge research that assures new discoveries for treating childhood diseases.

Each year more than 60,000 come to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for more than 200,000 visits for diagnosis and treatment.  For additional information, please visit www.ncchildrenspromise.org.

The team “Bill Collector” won the event with a combined weight of 148 pounds.  In addition, Greensboro angler Walker Holt successfully caught and released a blue marlin estimated at 300 pounds, taking the top prize for largest fish.  Sarah Hauser, also from Greensboro, caught a 39.5-pound Wahoo and won the largest fish for a female.

 “Reelin’ for Research” was founded as a tribute to the late Tony Montana, a local real estate agent who died from Cancer in 2005.  Tony Montana was tournament chairman Richard Montana’s father.  The second annual “Reelin’ for Research” is scheduled for May 1, 2010 in Morehead City, N.C.  For additional information, please visit www.reelinforresearch.org.

 

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