BY BOB AND GINNY RIEGE

Mark your calendars the 10th Annual Fishing For A Cure Ice Fishing Tournament will be held this year at Eastside Lake in Austin, Feb. 4, from noon until 2 p.m. An auction, food and prizes for the contest will be held after the tournament at the Eagles Club.

“The history of Fishing For A Cure, is rather remarkable, but the efforts we have seen from participants and local businesses towards cancer research have been incredible,” said event coordinator Jim Nelson. “It all started with a few guys from work getting together to have some fun, during the Minnesota winter. What better way to have some fun than ice fishing? As a friendly competition, each participant paid $5 and all of the money went to the person who caught the biggest fish. For a group of simple guys from Austin, Minnesota, this worked all right for the first few years. Once the contest started to draw more participants from all over southern Minnesota, young and old, as well as businesses wanting to donate prizes, we realized the impact we could have right here in our hometown. The Hormel Institute, was the perfect place to donate the money from our contest and Fishing For A Cure began.”

“In the past three years over $6,000 has been donated to The Hormel Institute on behalf of Fishing For A Cure,” Jim added. “The money came from contest entry fees, donations, raffles and auctions. Many area businesses contribute to the success of our events so that 100 percent of the proceeds can go directly to the Hormel Institute’s fight against cancer.”

The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota was established in 1942 by Jay C. Hormel (Hormel Foods Corporation) in a philanthropic gesture to help the health of the world through medical research. Today, The Hormel Institute is a world leader in cancer research prevention through the study of food agents and cell functions. Through its collaborations with Mayo Clinic and IBM, The Hormel Institute is poised for even greater achievements in the areas of translational research and research technology.

Everyone is affected by cancer in one form or another. Organizers and participants of the Fishing For A Cure Fundraiser want to support cancer research that is happening here in Austin. This is also a great way to get kids involved in ice fishing and in supporting a local charity.

In a previous article we stated; getting started can also include hands on fishing experience for the first time angler at local fishing derbies or tournaments. These events usually last three to four hours, they have pre drilled holes and they will lend a hand at getting everyone started and teaching the fundamentals of ice fishing.

Registration for this event will begin at 11 a.m. the day of the event right on Eastside Lake. Registration cost is $10 per person and it includes minnows, pre drilled holes, and a Berkley tackle pack. Food and door prizes will follow the contest at the Austin Eagles Club. A raffle and a live auction will also be conducted at the Eagles Club. Some of the items include; Jiffy propane auger, 2 underwater cameras, shop vac. Twin’s tickets (club level) and many more.

If you or your company are interested in a sponsorship for this event or donating auction, or raffle items contact Jim Nelson at (507-219-6229) or email (janels4@charter.net). Any donations would be greatly appreciated. We hope to see you all at Fishing For A Cure in February.