In the past 14 years the Kyle Page Tournament has raised more than half a million dollars and provided financial assistance to more than 50 local families who have children with special medical needs.

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, Joel Page, a local bass tournament fisherman, asked to continue the tournament to raise money for other families in need of assistance. Joel died last year, but the tournament is going on into the future through the help of The Gist Corporation and friends.

“We’ve got a bunch of families who need assistance,” said Dee Castine with the Gist Corporation. “For this year we narrowed it down to three families, one in Newberry, one in Irmo and one right there in Chapin. Our goal this year is to raise at least $30,000 so we can give $10,000 to each of those three families”

Entry fee for the tournament Sunday is $150 per boat, which includes big fish, and first place is guaranteed $5,000 by an anonymous donor. The lower paybacks will be determined by the number of boats entered, Castine said.

“This time last year we had 75 boats pre-registered and 154 registered the morning of the tournament. But this year I only have 39 registered at this point (Monday), so I am hoping for at least 150 boats to show up and register Sunday morning.”

Registration will be open at the launch ramp starting at 4:30 that morning, she said. In the meantime, anglers can register by mailing in their registration or stopping by her office at 1839 Chapin Road to register. Registering at the office would be preferable, she said, especially towards the end of the week.

“I’d hate for the registration to get crossed in the mail and us not get it in time for the tournament.”

Castine urged fishermen and others to come out and support the tournament.

“Skeeter Boats has come back on board as a sponsor this year, as has Sportsman’s Warehouse, and Dick’s Sporting Goods jumped on board this year. We can always use more support. We have more families out there.”

Castine said a concert will be held in Chapin Saturday, with bands playing all day. All the proceeds will go to the MSKP Foundation. For details call her at (803) 345-0039.

Send contributions to the MSKP Foundation at: PO Box 398, Little Mountain, S.C. 29075.

 

MSKP-Kyle Page Foundation Tournament

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Lake Murray

Dreher Island State Park

www.mskpfoundation.org