Flounder Pounder Open Tournament donates to Tunnell Cancer Center
Proceeds from the 2017 Flounder Pounder Open Tournament, amounting to $17,380, were generously donated to the Beebe Medical Foundation by Paradise Grill/Short's Marine Dec. 28. This money will be gifted to Beebe Healthcare's Tunnell Cancer Center to help fund the new cancer center that is proposed for the South Coastal region in Millville, with hopes of breaking ground this fall. The funds were raised over the past year from both the August Flounder Pounder tournament as well as the annual Crush Cancer 5K in Long Neck.
During the 2017 Flounder Pounder Open tournament, 327 boats participated, including a total of over 1,500 anglers. Paradise Grill, located in Pot-Nets Bayside in Long Neck, is well-equipped for this popular flounder tournament, providing 82 boat slips. The 2017 Flounder Pounder tournament was a three-day tournament where participants chose two of the three days to fish. It's a flounder tournament only, and participants must fish on a registered boat.
Now approaching its sixth year of the Flounder Pounder Open Tournament, owner of Paradise Island, Al Tortella, has plans to amp it up for 2018. The Flounder Pounder Open will now be five days long, and registered participants can fish three of those five days. In addition, there are now 10 spots to place on the leader board and daily Calcutta pay-outs. Anglers have the chance to win money daily if they enter the Calcutta, and five more chances at the leaderboard. This is the largest flounder tournament in the world with payouts at over $235,000.
This year's Flounder Pounder Open will be held Aug. 15-19, from Paradise Island in Long Neck. Registration will take place July 30 to Aug. 12; $50 from every boat registered will be donated to Beebe Tunnell Cancer Center, so participants can feel proud they are making a positive difference with their participation in this tournament. To learn more as new details emerge, visit www.flounderpounderopen.com.
"Our ongoing partnership with Paradise Marina, the Tunnell Family and Short's Marine continues to raise even more funds each year. Through the example of their generous giving, they have increased the awareness of the importance for our Sussex County businesses and families giving locally to our Tunnell Cancer Center that takes care of many of their neighbors, employees and family members. We look forward with excitement to next year's five-day event!" shared Thomas J. Protack, vice president of development, Beebe Medical Foundation.
"We thank all our Flounder Pounder participants and supporters; we are proud to be able to help donate to such a worthy cause. Together, let's pound out cancer!" said Al Tortella.
Barry Hamp, executive director of Beebe Healthcare's Tunnell Cancer Center, said, "Al, Sandy, and Juli used words like 'Crushing Cancer' and 'Pounding Cancer' and it struck me that three seemingly very nice people could talk so aggressively about going after cancer. These words so often reflect the words our patients and their families use as they battle cancer. They want our clinical team to be aggressive in their treatment. If it takes 'pounding and crushing,' then that is what they want us to do to restore them to health. I am thankful and delighted at this generous gift that truly will make a difference in so many lives."
