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Deadliest Catch Hillstrand brothers join burn benefit

BRADENTON In just its second year, the Fire Charity Fishing Tournament at Mattison's Riverside has attracted Budweiser as a sponsor, and the Hillstrand brothers from Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch.

The reason is simple: Proceeds go in part toward the Children's Burn Foundation of Florida.

Last year's tournament raised more than $5,000 to support burn survivors.

PROVIDED PHOTO The Hillstrands, Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch, will be available for a meet and greet on Sunday.

I was blown away by it, said Irene Gaccik, executive director of foundation. The generosity of the people, I've never seen anybody spontaneously donate so much money before.

The tourney will be today and Saturday.

The weigh-in, awards party and fishing expo are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday at Mattison's Riverside restaurant, located at the north end of 12th Street West in downtown. There is no admission charge but donations will be accepted for the Burn Foundation. Glen Pla from Bright House Sports Networks Channel 47 Average Angler Adventures will host the event that will include food, drinks, live entertainment, vendors and raffles.

The Hillstrand brothers will be at a meet-and-greet party from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $25 and all beer and food is included. Call 737-6252 for tickets.

Last year's offshore winner, Harry Blenker, a Bradenton Yacht Club member, took his winning $2,500 check and gave it right back to the Burn Foundation.

Erik Nicholson, a Manatee County firefighter, founded the tournament. You just get to the point where you've done a lot of things and I wanted to do something for somebody else, Nicholson said. At the fire station, I heard somebody say Children's Burn Foundation, and anytime you hear those words, you say, What?

The money raised eventually will go toward a children's burn camp, a weekly camp held throughout the summer where burn survivors can have fun and relate with each other.

Elizabeth and Laura Hess, twins born in St. Petersburg, were survivors of a house fire when they were toddlers. Now 11, the Hess twins will be at the tournament to tell their stories.

These (twins) have been coming to these camps since they were 6, Gaccik said. So they say, We don t care about the scars. One good thing about the camp is if you catch them when they're young, when they first get burned, you can instill in them that they're burn survivors.

No doubt, the tournament is catching on. Having Budweiser as a sponsor certainly helped.

Budweiser said they wanted to be involved, Nicholson said, I said, What can you bring to the table? They said, Hillstrand brothers. We said, We re in.

Nick Walter, Herald staff writer, can be reached at 745-7013.