DJD

Yep, I have the stickers but no camera. I have searched the boat (empty DVD case). I had it in my computer bag with all the raffle info but it's not there. I must have left it inside the tent.

lakeluvr

Unfortunately, after 38 years, doubt if I can get rid of wife that easy. Besides shes ready to go. Does sound like a heck of a plan tho.

My best wishes to the Tanner's.
John

RJ1340

What happened to the first ticket picked?

DJD

When I started this, I got a roll of 200 tickets with attached stubs at Staples. I then seperated the tickets and stubs and put the stubs into a bucket. When I received payment for raffle tickets, I dipped into the bucket of ticket stubs and assigned random ticket stub numbers to each person. Once all the tickets were sold, I put the first half of each ticket in a seperate bucket at the NYC run. They were completely mixed up & one was drawn by Billy, on camera at the NYC run.
When I said "second ticket drawn", I ment it was the second ticket number I assigned when I received payment.
I think that's clear? LOL. It's late. Let me know if you have any questions.
Dave

Payton

I was confused at first also. Then I looked at the list of names and ticket #s. It was pretty clear what you meant then.

juniorbaiter

I wanted to share our success story with everyone on this forum who helped in our cause. Here we go:

I want to personally thank everyone who helped make our Fathers Day Fundraiser and Fishing Tournament a big success. Because of your help, support and generosity, this event has generated over $20,000 for a little boy and his family in their uphill battle against a dreaded disease.

I'm totally amazed by the outpouring of love and caring shown here, in some cases, for someone you have never met. Words cannot describe the gratitude the Hrobak family and I have for all that you have done. This is one Fathers Day that I and many others will never forget. I've attached a couple of news articles from our local paper describing the event and giving more detailed information about Tanner and his family.
Thank you again,
Jim Serra, Chairman, Treasure Coast Rod Benders Fishing Club


THESE RAN THE DAY BEFORE THE EVENT

Community can help boy fight cancer at fundraiser in Stuart

June 17, 2006
If you're a Treasure Coast fisherman, you've probably already heard the story of young Tanner Hrobak.
If not, here we go. The family has been devastated by a two-month-long battle with medullablastoma — a heinous form of brain cancer that struck 8-year-old Tanner like a lightning bolt. Tanner's father, Capt. Bruce Hrobak, had bought the well-known Billy Bones Bait and Tackle in Port St. Lucie just a short time prior to receiving the heart-wrenching diagnosis.
Since Easter weekend, the Hrobaks have spent far too little time counting shrimp and dispensing fishing tips, and way too much time learning about various treatments for cancer. The youngster has already had surgery to remove the brain tumor, and is now enduring chemotherapy and radiation.
Like any family that has been through an ordeal like this, the Hrobaks have struggled with maintaining a positive outlook while facing periods of utter helplessness.
The good news: There is a way to help.
Anglers and non-anglers alike are encouraged to help the family meet needs such as medical expenses. Sunday — Father's Day — there will be a benefit for the Hrobak family at Sandsprit Park in Stuart. Included will be a benefit offshore fishing tournament until noon followed by a Cuban-style pig roast and party. There is a $20 fee to fish the tournament where winners in dolphin, kingfish and wahoo categories will receive nice prizes.
But, it's not necessary to fish in order to join in the fun.
There will be a silent auction and raffle that includes spectacular packages such as a weekend stay in the Keys; a week's stay in Bryson City, N.C.; guided fishing trips with local skippers like Bob Bushholz, Squeeky Kelly, Joe Massaro, Greg Snyder, Tom Van Horn, George Gozdz, John Young and Brent Bowman; a Biscayne Bay trip with Brian Gwilliam; a two-day trip to the Dry Tortugas aboard the Yankee Captains party boat out of Key West; a fishing trip to the Bahamas; swordfishing trips; a $500 gift certificate from Lentine Marine; a new 2.5 HP Yamaha outboard motor from Lindsay Marine; a new trolling motor from Minn Kota; Sea Tow memberships; Towboat U.S. memberships; jewelry; top of the line rod and reel combos and more.
The entire affair has come together very quickly and has taken on a life of its own. Members of the Treasure Coast Rodbenders worked tirelessly to assemble the offerings in short order.
This wellspring of generosity has had contributions come in from all over the country and even Germany. It shines as another example of how tightly-knit the global community of fishermen can be.
And it is the hope of all to know that one day Tanner will be among them again bending a rod of his own on a favorite catch.
To find out more about the event or to help, visit www.tcrodbenders.com and click on "Tanner's Fund" or call (772) 286-1071.
Ed Killer writes about the outdoors for the Scripps Treasure Coast newspapers. Go to his blog to sound off on fishing at www.tcpalm.com. Listen to his radio show, Fish Stories, heard Thursdays at 6 p.m. on WSTU 1450 AM. He can be reached at [email protected].



Local fishermen hold Father's Day fundraiser for young cancer patient



Posted: 2006 Jun 16 - 02:03


By S'iva Goodman
Staff writer
STUART - Families along the Treasure Coast are invited to support one local dad and his family who almost lost a son to a brain tumor.
A benefit called the "Stupiter Bash and Tanner Fundraiser," named for Jupiter and Stuart, will be held at Sandsprit Park in Stuart on Father's Day, Sunday, June 18, from noon until 4 p.m.
Tanner, 8, son of Bruce and Debbie Hrobak, was diagnosed with medulloblastoma and underwent emergency surgery on April 9 to have a cancerous tumor removed from his brain.
"He was waking up with headaches every morning and vomiting for more than two weeks," said his father, Capt. Bruce Hrobak. "Thank God my wife is a nurse, we wouldn't have known what was going on."
According to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Web site, medulloblastoma is the most common brain tumor found in children and affects boys more often than girls. The disease primarily strikes children under the age of seven and treatment can be a long and arduous process.
"The tumor was removed and he is doing well. He is undergoing chemotherapy and doctors said his prognosis is good," Mr. Hrobak said.
Tanner has had two clean MRIs and one clear spinal tap checking for any additional signs of cancer, but his father said as far as they know, the tumor is gone.
Mrs. Hrobak is a registered nurse but left her job to care for Tanner full-time. Tanner and his mom travel to West Palm Beach every day for his chemotherapy treatments. He must also undergo daily physical rehabilitation.
"He is just a normal boy who got very sick," Mr. Hrobak said. "He loves cars, LEGOS, Disney World, throwing the football, swimming, driving Dad's boat and, of course, fishing."
An active member of the local sport fishing community, Mr. Hrobak owns Billy Bones Bait N Tackle in Port St. Lucie, is a charter captain and serves as president of the Treasure Coast Rod Benders fishing club.
Fellow fishermen are now uniting to raise funds for he and his family in their time of need.
The event will include a fishing tournament in the morning, pig roast, silent auction and raffles. Guests are invited to bring a dish for a potluck dinner. Prizes will include membership to SeaTow, rods and reels, half and full day fishing trips and much more. There will also be a raffle for a weeklong getaway to Marathon Key. Accommodations will include a three-bedroom, two-bath canal front home that will sleep eight and hold a 50-foot boat. There are only 250 tickets sold for this prize and the cost is $20 each.
"For those of you that don't know Bruce, he is a great guy with a heart of gold," said Capt. Bob Bushholz, of Catch 22 Fishing Charters in Jensen Beach. "He has always been the first to offer donations of rods, reels and other items when anyone else is in need."
The Hrobaks do have some insurance, but said it does not come close to covering the costs of Tanners therapy.
For families going through difficult times, the support of the community can make a world of difference.
Participants can sign up for the fishing tournament by visiting www.stupiterbash.com
The cost is $20 per boat.
For those who cannot attend the fundraiser but would like to show their support or send a donation can visit the Treasure Coast Rod Benders Web site at: www.tcrodbenders.com and click on the Tanner Fund.
Billy Bones Bait and Tackle is located at 10602 S. Federal Highway in Port St. Lucie. For further information, call (772) 335-3715.


FROM THE PALM BEACH POST THE DAY AFTER THE EVENT

Child's cancer fight unites community
By Michael C. Bender
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Monday, June 19, 2006
PORT SALERNO — Tanner Hrobak is just 8 years old and has lived on the Treasure Coast for less than two years. But the youngster already has hundreds of fans.
Despite early afternoon thunderstorms on a day reserved to celebrate fatherhood, more than 300 people filed into Sandsprit Park on Sunday to support Tanner, who had a golf ball-sized brain tumor removed in April and will undergo chemotherapy throughout the summer.




"The outpouring of love has been tremendous," said Tanner's father, Bruce. "It's made Tanner feel like a superstar, and that is very important.
"He's been such a good boy," the older Hrobak said about his son. "He knows he's sick and he deals with it. He has been really tough."
Bruce Hrobak moved from New Jersey almost two years ago to Port St. Lucie with his wife, Debbie, and their two children: Tanner and 7-year-old daughter Kelly.
Hrobak bought the Billy Bones Bait & Tackle Shop on U.S. 1 in Port St. Lucie just weeks before his son began showing signs of his illness. Hrobak's connections in the fishing community helped spark the pig roast and fund-raiser held Sunday.
Organizers of the fund-raiser hoped to raise more than $15,000 from donations, raffles and auctions of charter boat trips, fishing supplies and vacations to the Florida Keys and the North Carolina mountains.
"It's been a great day," said Jim Serra, a member of the Treasure Coast Rod Benders fishing club and one of the event organizers.


THIS ONE RAN AFTER WE WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A PRELIMINARY NUMBER FOR FUNDS RAISED


Fundraiser helped raise almost $20,000 for 8-year-old's medical bills


By ED KILLER
[email protected]
June 21, 2006
PORT ST. LUCIE — The Hrobak family will never forget this Father's Day.
A fundraising pig roast Sunday afternoon at Sandsprit Park generated about $20,000 to help the family of Tanner Hrobak, 8, overcome extensive medical bills in a battle against brain cancer.

A crowd of more than 250 people assembled under gray, sometimes rainy skies to extend prayers and good wishes to young Tanner and his parents Bruce and Debbie.
"Everyone made Tanner feel like a superhero," said Bruce Hrobak, a charter fishing guide and owner of Billy Bones Bait and Tackle in Port St. Lucie. "It was the best Father's Day anyone can ever imagine."
Hrobak, who is also president of a new fishing club called the Treasure Coast Rod Benders, said the outpouring of love and support has been overwhelming. He credited the hard work and hustle of fellow club members as well as members of Florida Sportsman magazine's online fishing forum.
"I'm proud to belong to a group like this and I'm proud to be part of community like this," he said.
Jim Serra, club chairman and founding member, said the exact final tally of donations collected Sunday will not be known for a few more days, but it will be close to $20,000. People who attended the barbecue bid for silent auction items and kicked in for raffles for everything from guided fishing trips and jewelry to nautical art and weeklong vacation stays in the Florida Keys.
"There are still ongoing fundraising efforts being conducted in places as far away as Las Vegas, Connecticut and Germany by people who heard about Tanner," Serra said.
The club began earlier this year with about 60 members who met through the Florida Sportsman forum.
In April, the Hrobaks learned Tanner had a brain tumor — diagnosed as medulloblastoma — after he experienced several consecutive days of vomiting and headaches. He underwent emergency surgery to remove the golf ball-sized tumor on Easter Sunday.
His radiation treatments will wrap up Thursday for a short time and in four weeks he will begin chemotherapy. The surgery has left Tanner with physical disabilities, and he is confined to a wheelchair. In addition to his treatments, Tanner also must undergo speech and physical therapy and blood work.
HOW TO HELP
Donations can be made at www.tcrodbenders.com