The Fifth Annual McFlats’ Invitational Snook & Redfish  Fishing Tournament was held this past weekend at Tarpon Point Marina in Cape Coral. Over 125 kids participated in the kids tournament and over 35 boats entered at $275 per angler in the adult tournament. A silent auction and dinner banquet followed with all proceeds going to the Ronald McDonald House of Southwest Florida.

“The financial support is extremely necessary especially in this economy,” said Executive Director Debra Newman. “We’ve seen unsolicited donations cut in half.”

Newman said the goal of the tournament was to help fund the Ronald McDonald House of Southwest Florida, which has been helping seriously ill children and their families for 35 years.

Tournament co-founder and Cape Coral McDonalds owner Tim Frederic said this tournament’s goal was to raise $20,000. With as many participants as they have, he said they should be well on their way to that goal.

While hoping that this year’s event matches, or even exceeds last year’s total of $18,000, the event definitely speaks to the community as a whole. You’re never far from someone who has a “Ronald McDonald House story”.

Captain Kelly Tolbert helped to organize the transition. He praised the Ronald McDonald House organization and all of their efforts. “These guys have done a great job,” Tolbert said of the event. “My job was to make things as smooth as possible. It was easy. And it’s a great cause.”