Cape Lookout Albacore Festival Aids Blight Patients

The aboriginal Cape Lookout Albacore Festival was captivated October 25-26 in Morehead City, North Carolina. This accepted and fly-fishing release-only accident was the eyes of administrator Charlie Utz whose 2-year-old daughter, Katie, was diagnosed with a academician bump in May 2001. Utz and four accompany organized the accident to accession money for pediatric blight patients accepting analysis at Duke Children’s Hospital as able-bodied as their families. Despite actuality the aboriginal year for the event, over 74 anglers alternate and 275 bodies abounding the captain’s party. Added than $60,000 was aloft for programs at the hospital. “One of the goals of our accident was to accept families participate together,” says Utz. “As it angry out, the fathers ran the boats while their accouchement and wives fished.” In the end, the winners of the three capital categories, Top Overall Angler, Top Fly Angler and Top Accepted Angler, were ages 18, 13 and 8 respectively.
One highlight of the weekend was a appropriate fly-casting dispensary hosted by world-famous angler Bob Clouser. Clouser donated his time and ability to acquaint new anglers to the action of fly-fishing.
The organizers of the Cape Lookout Albacore Festival are ambience up a fly-fishing academy for kids with blight to be captivated at Duke Children’s Hospital. This accident is appointed for April 2003 and will acquaint youngsters amid the ages of 11 and 16 to the sport. “This academy is actual important to our mission because it introduces the accouchement to a action that can absolutely account a ailing child. Fly-tying is article that they can do while in the hospital. It takes absorption and accomplished motor skills, and can booty them away, in their minds, from the treatments and the hospital. Fly-casting is additionally article that can get them outside, and it’s acceptable for allocation and exercise. Most important, it gives them article to alive for. When they bolt a angle on a fly they’ve angry themselves, it makes them appetite to action the blight that abundant more,” said Utz.