The third annual Fishin’ for a Cure tournament on May 17 brought the battle against childhood diseases to the Atlamaha River.
The non-profit, panfish tournament benefits children in the community who are battling cancer and other diseases. It was hosted by the Motor Carrier Compliance Division of the Georgia Department of Public Safety and the Long County Sheriff’s Office.
Sixty teams participated and more than 400 people attended.
Proceeds exceeded $65,000 and donations were made to the families of Aubree Rhoden, Daniel Jacobs, Derek Gibson, Oren Arnold, Kyan Combs, Autumn Moon and J.J. Arnold.
Long County Sheriff Craig Nobles said a sale of T-shirts and raffle tickets by Tyler Groover netted more than $1,000 for the family of Joserath ‘Pablo’ Barahona, a Long County senior who drowned on May 13.
William Rohden, who accepted one of the $11,000 checks was overwhelmed.
“It’s outstanding,” he said. “It’s hard to express how God has worked.”
He said the money will buy equipment such as eye glasses and braces which will eventually enable 3-year-old Aubree Rhoden to walk on her own. She has cerebral palsy and is wheelchair bound.
Mark Hall, a LCSO sergeant, was the first recipient of a check three years ago. He attended this year and said it paid for medicine and expenses while his daughter, Victoria Hall, battled leukemia.
“It would have been very difficult if they didn’t have the fishing tournament,” Hall said. “I was the only one working at the time and the extra money really did help for paying expenses.”
The weigh-in was conducted by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources at the Nobles’ Cabin.
First place winners ($500) were Marcus ‘Red’ DeLoach and James ‘Duck’ DeLoach with 19.26 lbs. Second place ($300) went to Charles Reddish and Danny Anderson with 15.42 lbs. Third place ($150) went to Dennis Abbgy and Robert Flynn with 14.26 lbs.
All of them ripped up their checks and returned the prize money.
The 12 and younger largest fish category was won by: First, David Abbgy, 1.28 lbs.; second, Mary DeLoach, 1.20 lbs.; third, Gavin Cook, 1.10 lbs.; fourth, Caden Driggers with 1.06 lbs.