A Fire Charity Fishing Tournament was held in support of the Children’s Burn Camp several years ago in Bradenton, and has returned annually ever since.
Founder Erik Nicholson, an engineer for the East Manatee Fire District, makes sure that all of the event’s proceeds go to the charity, which supports child burn victims and allows them to forget about their appearances and form strong relationships with others like them. Since its inception, the tournament has raised more than $25,000.
He explained, “You spend most of your life trying to keep your head above water. For me, life was good and I wanted to do something to benefit others.
“It is so important for children who have been hurt by fires to have the opportunity to rebuild their lives and regain self-confidence. The burn camp provides those services and I’m proud our tournament provides money for their program.”
This year’s tournament caters to children as well, allowing supervised kids aged 5-12 to fish from the Bradenton Yacht Club seawall for only $10. The price also includes lunch on the scene from Chick-Fil-A, music, entertainment, free face paint, a bouncy house and arts and crafts. As for the tournament, “if it swims- it counts” and the biggest fish catcher gets a prize. All fish are released alive.
Committee Member Erin Craft explained the unique advantages of the event. “It’s an affordable way to promote outdoor activities and helping others,” she said. “We expect to see a lot of catfish, but any species is fun for the kids to reel in.”
Here are some highlights from last year’s event: