One hundred anglers will head to the White Lake Marina this Saturday on a mission for CHEO.
Organizer Eron Dodds says the 4th Annual Kayak Fishing Life Benefit is on track to raise a lot of money in support of the children’s hospital’s “1 Door 4 Care” Integrated Treatment Centre.
He says the event has sold out for its second straight year and will be bringing in passionate anglers from across Renfrew County and beyond in the spirit of giving back.
Dodds believes the Ottawa Valley provides the perfect backdrop for the event thanks to its plentiful fisheries and scenic landscapes, which aren’t always accessible by motorboat, making it an appealing location for both born-and-raised locals and visitors enjoying life at the cottage to cast a line.
Dodds, along with Assistant Director Jason Brock and coordinators Serge Paradis and Casey Ryan, consider CHEO a highly respectable charity that not only treats patients from an area ranging from southern Ontario to Montreal and Nunavut, but also provides logistics help and other support for fundraising efforts like their own.
A large part of reaching that $35,000 goal is thanks to their many sponsors, who have provided a wide range of fishing-related merchandise that will be used as prizes for the event’s numerous buy-in raffle draws.
All of the money raised will allow CHEO to offer services for children and youth living with complex medical, developmental, behavioural, or mental health needs.
It will also ensure that the Integrated Treatment Centre’s new model of care and purpose-built spaces serve families in the most collaborative, thoughtful, and family-focused ways possible.
While the tournament has had to limit participation to just 100 anglers over the past two years, Dodds is hopeful that they will be able to welcome in as many people as possible starting in 2025.
Until then, you can help their cause by donating through the CHEO Foundation’s website.
(written by Kasey Egan)