Friends For Wishes Brings Fishing For Wishes To Coastal Bend

Friends for Wishes Brings Fishing for Wishes to the Coastal Bend for the 3rd year. 

Fishing tournaments can be held for a plethora of reasons. When looking at fundraising tournaments they can be for individuals, families, conservation, scholarships, and more. This upcoming tournament is also a fundraiser, for children with critical illnesses at Make-A-Wish.  

Friends for Wishes has been a dream of Norman Walker’s for a long time. Norman has always wanted to raise money to help children, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation is close to his heart. In 2014, he got his wish! They had their first annual BBQ Cook-off in 2014 and have added the Fishing for Wishes, and Golfing for Wishes since then. They have raised over $1,100,000 and granted 108 Wishes for Wish Kids at Make-A-Wish! Friends for Wishes is a 501c3, non-profit organization that benefits Make-A-Wish and is committed to making a difference in the lives of children with critical illnesses. All money raised by Friends for Wishes goes directly to Make-A-Wish children.  

 

The organization is orchestrated by a dedicated team of volunteers, including an Executive Board, a Board of Directors, and an Advisory Board. The founders include Norman Walker, Retired CEO Chaille Voelkel, “the late” Financial Advisor Ken Hucherson, and Current CEO Alan Higginbotham. Teri Andrepont, Retired CEO and President of Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana with 29 years of experience, also makes the team complete as a member of the Advisory Board.  

The founders and volunteers work tirelessly to achieve their mission, and they are grateful for all the outstanding supporters who make their work possible. We aim to grant as many wishes as possible and put smiles on their faces! We are transforming little lives one wish at a time! 

 For the last two years, they have held their “Fishing for Wishes” tournament in Rockport in April with great success. Between the BBQ Cook-Off, Golf Tournament, and Fishing Tournament, they donated over $1.1 million to Make-A-Wish since 2014. 

 Fishing for Wishes is returning this year, planning for an even bigger and better turnout. Due to the growth and popularity of this tournament, the location has moved to the Aransas Pass Civic Center. The 1-4 Angler Tournament has gained great recognition throughout the world-renowned southern coastal bend inner coastal waters. With nearly 200 Anglers, the tournament has paid out over $30,000 in last year’s payout! The tournament is expected to increase to approximately 300 anglers.  

 The Captain’s Meeting and Calcutta will be on Friday, April 19, followed by a cornhole tournament held by RTC(Rockport Texas Cornhole). The fishing tournament will be held on April 20th. Fishing categories are Heaviest Redfish, Trout, and Stringer! Side pots consist of Most Spots on a Redfish, Sweet 17 Trout, Heaviest Flounder, Heaviest Other, and Texas Slam.  

As the Fishing for Wishes 1-4 Angler Tournament is in progress there will be a “Make-A-Wish Kids’ Fishing Experience” and a Kids’ Fishing Experience. 

The “Make-A-Wish Kids Fishing Experience” is an integral part of the event as it complements the fishing tournament. Children with critical illnesses who participate in the Make-A-Wish Kids Experience can fish at Conn Brown Harbor or explore the feeling of bay fishing in the inner coastal waters by hopping on a boat and heading out to the open waters.  

The “Make-A-Wish Kids Fishing Experience” would not be possible without the selflessness and kindness of the Southern Coastal Bend region fishing guides, who have donated their services to provide an unforgettable day of joy and excitement on their boats. These generous individuals help the children catch as many fish as they can handle, and we cannot thank them enough for their generosity and compassion. Without their support, “Friends for Wishes” would not be able to offer this fantastic experience to these wonderful children. 

In addition to the Kids Fishing Experience, “Fishing for Wishes” also hosts a fantastic event that runs simultaneously with the main event at Conn Brown Harbor. We have a Free Kids Fishing Experience, which provides free rods and reels for any child who registers. The fishing session is live and runs from 8 AM to 12 PM, on Saturday, April 20. All you need to bring is yourself and enough time in your day to have fun and catch some fish! 

There will also be a Live Auction, Silent Auction, Raffle, and giveaways! Registration is open now, so please go to (https://www.friendsforwishes.org/) and click to register under the Fishing For Wishes page. 

If you are looking for a day out on the water that will bring a smile to your face as well as deserving children, this is it. If you are not entering the tournament, activities are still open to children and adults at the Aransas Pass Civic Center starting at 11 AM on April 20. There’s a reason Friends for Wishes selected this part of the coastal bend to host this event.  Besides having some of the best fishing in the state, we are also home to some of the biggest hearts!   

If you are interested in being a sponsor or have questions about registration, please contact General Chairman Ken Hoffart at 281-451-7769 – ffwfishchair@gmail.com  

Chairman Div-1 Kelly Hoffmann at 830-708-0583 – kellyatfishingforwishes@gmail.com or email to: hoffmannconstruction1974@gmail.com.