“We are hoping for 100 or more boats in the 17^th annual Kyle Page Tournament Sunday,” said Beth Frick, who is working with Shelly Page, Kyle’s mother, on the fund-raising bass tournament that has become a fixture on the lake’s annual tournament calendar.

Frick said first prize in the tournament will be $5,000 guaranteed and the big fish prize will be $500 guaranteed. Both prizes were provided by donors who wish to remain anonymous. Places could be paid down through 25th place, if as many as 200 boats sign up, she said.

The first “Kyle Page Open Team Bass Tournament” was held in 1997 to benefit the Page family. The tournament was a huge success raising over $10,000 for Kyle’s family after he was born with spina bifida, a birth defect of the spine.

After seeing the success of the tournament and the outpouring of the community, Kyle’s dad, the late Joel Page, a local bass tournament fisherman, asked to continue the tournament to raise money for other families in need of assistance.

Over the years, organizers say more than $1 million has been raised to help local families who have children with severe medical needs.

“Shelly and I are trying to put it back together,” said Ms. Frick, who added that plans are to provide monetary assistance this year to two local families. “The guys who fish the tournament are very important because that is where the money comes from for the children.”

Kyle Page, now a sophomore in high school, has blossomed through he will never be able to walk due to his medical condition. That, however, has not slowed him down, Ms. Frick said.

“He is very, very strong-willed and has a smile on his face all the time. He is going to have more surgery this December to straighten his back but in October he is going on a dream hunt for elk in Wyoming.”

While the anglers are the primary source of money for the Kyle Page Foundation, other supporters, fishing fans and participants are also needed, she said, noting that there will be a lot going on for the entire family at the weigh-in site at Dreher Island State Park Sunday.

“We will start about 11 o’clock Sunday morning with a local band and there will be activities for kids all day. Two bands will play, The Part Timers and Dixieland Crossroads, basically country and light rock music.”

She said the Department of Natural Resources water tank will be set up for little children to fish in. Plans also include a small choo choo train and a “Fishing Hole,” where kids can fish with a cane pole for prizes.

“We are going to have food and we will give away door prizes after the tournament awards. The Mid Carolina Branch of the Quality Deer Management Association will be cooking hot dogs and hamburgers and there will also be brownies and chips available,” she said. “We need all the public support and participation we can get to make it a success.”

MSKP Kyle Page Bass Tournament

Sun, May 5, 2013

Lake Murray

Dreher Island State Park

Call Beth Frick at 803-945-7879 or Shelly Page at 803-345-3468

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MSKPFOUNDATION