WHAT: Catch & Release Benefit Tournament; includes evening fish fry
WHEN: Saturday, October 6, 2007
WHERE: Homosassa River, MacRaes Shed, 5300 S. Cherokee Way, Homosassa, Florida
Looking ahead to this weekend, all anglers who don't have plans on Saturday, they have a golden opportunity to participate in the 1st Annual Family Resource Catch and Release Challenge on Saturday, October 6th. The fun-filled event will include a fish fry from farm raised tilapia with all proceeds to benefit special needs children. The tournament will be based from MacRae Bait House's Shed at the big white tent on the Homosassa River.
The fundraiser would benefit the Ocala-based Family Resource Coalition, a 501c 3 non-profit incorporation. The goal of the coalition is to get help to families who have children with special health care needs. Also to create an effective network of help for each family. Along with Children's Medical Services Network, the agency helps create a system of care and planning, with access to local, state and national resources.
There will be celebrity anglers participating to make things more interesting including Capt. Bill Miller of Brighthouse Channel 47 TV show "Hooked On Fishing." Miller is slated to fish the event and announce winners as "Master of Ceremonies."
Also Tennis great Andre Agassi has confirmed to take part in the inaugural event. According to FRC staff he will be flying in for a couple of hours and then flying out. According to Capt. Jim Long, Agassi has an autistic child. His involvement has sparked interest to others in the celebrity world to help out these families that require special medical care. Local businesses such as Pro-Line Boats have become sponsors and donated to help offset cost of running the event.
Aside from the tournament, 14 fishing guide members of the Homosassa Guides Association will be donating the day to take out families that have autistic children to enjoy a day out on the gulf.
The tournament prize money is based on 100 boats entering. The first-place trophy will be awarded with a $1,000 prize. There also will be trophies and cash prizes for second through fifth places. The winner is determined from total inches of legal trout and redfish from photographs using cameras and measuring boards.
Capt. Jim Long of the Homosassa Guides Association and Jim Stine of FRC originated the tournament and rules. High dollar prizes will be given to the top lady angler and for whoever catches the largest snook, redfish and trout.
On the morning of the tournament, paid entrants will check out from a big white tent set up on the west side of the shed at MacRae's Bait House beginning at safe light.
Long stated, "Jim Stine, tournament coordinator will be on hand at the tent to take last minute entries beginning at 6:00 A.M., the day of the event. If they are late they will just lose some fishing time."
All boat captains must attend a meeting at 6:30 on Friday night at MacRaes.
For more information about the tournament, visit http://www.frc4kids.org/fishing/index.html or call 352-854-3001.
Resources:
Children's Medical Services Network
The Children's Medical Services program provides children with special health care needs with a family-centered managed system of care. Children with special health care needs are those under 21 whose physical or developmental conditions require care beyond that required by typically healthy children.
Family Resource Coalition
FRC works in tandem with Children's Medical Services offices to fill in the gaps between nursing care and social work, providing resources, training and advocacy skills for parents of special children registered within the Children's Medical Services Network.
