| | |  News from Around Banderas Bay 
Hook the Cure 'Hooks' in $300,000 to Benefit Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
 Gary Green - PVNN
October 28, 2010
| | The Fifth Annual Hook the Cure event, held in Puerto Vallarta and highlighted by festivities, celebrity appearances, auctions and an awards gala, raised $300,000 USD for cystic fibrosis research. | |
Puerto Vallarta - It was a dream destination. It was a competition and a spectacular, star-studded event. But, chiefly, it had a real purpose - which resulted in the generation of $300,000 USD NET raised in benefit of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
The Fifth Annual Hook the Cure powered by IOTEC fishing tournament, held October 21-24, 2010 in the glow of the Mexican tropical paradise, was, per norm, so much more than an IGFA-qualifier catch-and-release, offshore event. Not only did participants enjoy one of the greatest fishing locales in world, first-class all-inclusive accommodations, gourmet meals, celebrity appearances, spa treatments and exciting nightlife, but everyone involved knew there was a far greater purpose at hand.
"That's really the beauty of the Hook the Cure event," said Bob Huston, event co-chairperson along with Jeff Jennison. "Obviously, we're in a beautiful place and we're here to enjoy ourselves, with the best of everything you could possibly imagine. And it's so much fun, with so much to do and real competitive fishing and a Nicklaus-designed course at Vista Vallarta Club de Golf. But there is an underlying purpose. And that is to raise money for this worthy foundation. And did we ever. That's kind of beautiful, too."
The Hook the Cure tournament, an official event of the Redbone Tournament Series, has raised $1.6 USD million since its inception, thanks to the obvious worthiness of its mission but also to the nearly-disarming array of interests it caters to.
 This year's event - sponsored by IOTEC, BJ's Restaurants, Watson Land, Ernst & Young LLP, the O'Connell Family Foundation, American Airlines, Norm Wilson & Sons and Skipper and Duke's Offshore Fishing Series - kicked off with the Welcome to Puerto Vallarta Fiesta hosted by the Villa Premiere Hotel & Spa on Thursday, October 21st. The welcoming event featured a Mexican buffet, mariachi and fireworks. Volunteers were provided by PVRPV.com and HealthCare Resources Puerto Vallarta.
Friday arrived and a parade of boats departed from Charter Dreams, at Marina Vallarta, for the first day of fishing - which was capped off with a weigh-in party hosted by Andale Restaurant and Corona. Johnny Lonborg and local Puerto Vallarta favorites Los Bambinos were the night's entertainment.
On Saturday, the anglers returned to the Marina for another day of fishing and golfers hit the links at Vista Vallarta Club de Golf. Vista Vallarta, featuring signature courses developed by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf, offers some of the most breathtaking views of Puerto Vallarta imaginable.
Later Saturday, after the anglers had returned to the Marina, the results were tallied and the IGFA catch-and-release tournament winners were announced. The night was capped off with a silent and live auction, hosted by Los Angeles radio personality, Shawn Parr, that featured over 100 items, including sports memorabilia and American Airlines vacation packages, and raised $63,000 USD.
Overall Champions was captured by the team of Mary Coulter and Jean Walker. The Largest Tuna prize went to Steve Belliti and Chuck Belden and the Largest Dorado award went to Mark Samuelson and Bob Snead.
Along the way there were appearances by the likes of sports stars Matt Young - best known for his unofficial no-hitter, as a member of the Boston Red Sox, against the Cleveland Indians - and Jim Lonborg. Lonborg, 1967 Cy Young winner, who was known best as "Gentleman Jim" during his 15 years in the majors, played with the Red Sox, the Milwaukee Brewers and the Philadelphia Phillies and was known for his ferocity and fearlessness when it came to pitching the inside corner.
Plans for the 2011 Hook the Cure event, slated for early-November, are underway. For more information, visit HookTheCure.com or contact Gary Green at ggreen(at)cff.org or by calling (714) 494-4623 in the US.
Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease affecting approximately 40,000 people in the United States and Mexico. A defect in the CF gene cause the body to produce abnormally thick, sticky mucus that leads to chronic, life-threatening lung infections and impairs digestion.
When the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation was established in 1955, few children with the disease lived long enough to attend elementary school. Today, thanks to research and care provided by the CF Foundation with money raised through donations from families, corporations and foundations the median predicted age for people with CF is nearly 37 years.
About the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the leading organization in the United States devoted to curing and controlling Cystic Fibrosis. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., the Foundation has more than 80 chapters and branch offices throughout the country and supports and accredits a nationwide network of more than 115 care centers, which provide vital treatments and other CF resources to patients and families. For more information, visit CFF.org.
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