JCCF hosting firsts charity fishing tournament

Jimmy Crabtree loved going fishing, and he was out on the water with his fishing pole whenever possible. So it was only fitting for his family to add a fishing tournament to the list of annual fundraisers the Jimmy Crabtree Cancer Fund hosts in his memory.

Already on the calendar every year are a golf cart poker run in January, golf tournament in March and bowling tournament in August.

The fishing tournament will be held Saturday, Oct. 21, at Lake Harris and the Hickory Point Recreational Facility in Tavares. The entry fee is $100 per boat, and participants can register online at jccancerfund.org or the morning of the event.

Boats will launch at safe light, and weigh-in is at 3 p.m. First prize is $1,000.

Following the event, there will be a barbecue dinner, raffles and giveaways.

ABOUT JIMMY AND JCCF

Jimmy Crabtree was a 1987 graduate of West Orange High School and 1991 graduate of Florida Southern College.

He was a project manager for R.C. Stevens Construction Co., in Orlando, and received several awards for his work. He was involved in several downtown Winter Garden projects, including the Garden Theatre restoration and Roper Garden Building construction.

Crabtree made it a priority to help others, taking trips to Nevada, Washington, Mississippi and Puerto Rico with the Missions Team at the First United Methodist Church of Winter Garden.

Crabtree died in April 2011 of carcinoid cancer at the age of 42. His wife, Lorie; their children, Jacob and Mattie; his parents, Fred and Sue; and his brother and sister, Andy and Karen, founded the Jimmy Crabtree Cancer Fund and, for six years, have held regular fundraising events so they can financially help other local individuals with cancer.

Before Jimmy died, he and Lorie talked about forming an organization that would assist other young families in West Orange County who had a loved one fighting cancer.

“Jimmy and Lorie benefited by the support and love of their family, friends, church and community and wanted to pass this opportunity to another family,” according to the JCCF website. “This important project will lend much-needed financial support to those impacted by this terrible disease.”

Next month, JCCF is holding two events on Monday, Nov. 27. From 4 p.m. till closing, The Tasting Room, 99 W. Plant St., Winter Garden, will donate a percentage of all drinks and food during its Making a Difference Monday.

That day also marks the kickoff of the Brighten Up Someone’s Christmas program, in which gift cards can be donated to help someone battling cancer. Cards in the suggested amount of $25 can be donated from Ace Hardware, Publix Super Markets, Winn-Dixie, Walgreens, CVS, Walmart and Target, in addition to gasoline cards or Visa, Master Card or American Express.

The cards will be enclosed in a JCCF Christmas card signed from JCCF Friends and could be distributed locally or throughout the United States. For information, email [email protected].