by Jane Wilson–A million dollars was raised for charity in the waters of Haida Gwaii this summer. Fishing for Kids, an event run by the West Coast Fishing Club raises money for the Vancouver Canuck’s Autism Network in the annual 3-day event, which costs over $12,000 to enter.Courtney Hatfield, Corporate Sales Director for the West Coast Fishing Club and vice-president of the tournament, said this was the seventh year the tournament has run and the first time it has raised more than a million dollars. “We raised our goal and didn’t expect to reach it, but we did,” said Ms Hatfield, previously of the television shows “Fishing with Shelley and Courtney” and “Get out with Shelley and Courtney.”The winner of the top prize, Mike Abbey, from corporate sponsor SimplexGrinnell, caught the largest fish, a 41.6 lb Chinook. Mr. Abbey donated the $200,000 top prize back to the event, something that has happened every year the tournament has run, said Ms Hatfield, who describes the participants as “extremely generous.”
