There is another fight Dave is involved with — fighting big fish. It’s a pastime he has enjoyed with his family and boys for as long as he can remember. In 2007, Dave took his desire to support cancer research and his love for fishing and joined Fish For A Cure, a big-time event that brings over 1,000 people and approximately 70 boats for an annual fishing tournament and fundraiser on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay. It all started in 2006 with a group of friends at Podickory Point Yacht Club who wanted to use their love for fishing and boating to fight cancer.
The event has become so popular that they have their own website, fishforacure.org. Over 40 corporate sponsors support the event. Funds raised from the event go to support the Cancer Survivorship program at Anne Arundel Medical Centers and the Geaton and JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Institute. Lifelong friends have been formed from this event, which raised over $523,000 last year to support the fight against cancer. Dave’s team alone raised $21,000 and came in sixth overall out of 62 teams.
There are so many lives that have been impacted through this event. Something that hit home for Dave concerned his friend Chuck Slaughter, who lost his battle with esophageal cancer in 2014. “Chuck was a baseball coach and a hero for kids who played ball on the Broadneck Peninsula in Maryland,” said Dave. “He was at our 2013 Fish For A Cure event when I won the Captain’s Challenge in honor of my late sister. The charity helped to set up a nurse navigator for Chuck who acted as a liaison with the hospital, guiding patients like Chuck through all their critical care. It makes a huge difference.”
The 16th Annual Fish For A Cure Tournament will be held on Saturday, November 5, 2022. Dave’s team for the 2022 event is Team Luki Belle named after his 25-foot pilothouse. His team is comprised largely of fathers and sons with the dads usually ponying up most of the money. The target? Big rockfish (striped bass) that haunt the depths of the Chesapeake. Dave’s strategy? Dress warmly and be patient. Last year Team Luki Belle came in third place and was just 300th of an ounce away from winning. Dave and his team will again raise money for Fish For A Cure and try again to catch the big fish this year.
The event includes the fishing tournament, which can net $5,000 to $10,000 in cash and prizes, and the Captain’s Challenge fundraiser where each boat team seeks to raise the most dollars to support the fight against cancer. After the event is a big party at the Annapolis Marriott.
To support this great organization and Dave’s Team Luki Belle this November, please: – Contact: Dave Jenkins at djenkins@kbs.com
• Visit: www.fishforacure.org.
