The date for this years Ryan McCleskey Redfish Tournament is set for Saturday May 18, 2013.

As in the years past, Glenda, Frank, and the whole gang at Realmark and Cape Harbour have welcomed us back to host this great event.

Stay tuned for more details!!!!

What a tournament!!  The 8th Annual Ryan McCleskey Memorial Redfish Challenge was the best to date!  We had 39 boats register and raised close to $15,000 for Barbara’s Friends – The Children’s Hospital Cancer Fund!!  None of this would have been possible without the support and generosity of all of you.

From raffle ticket sales, silent auction packages, registration fees and of course our tournament sponsors, the event couldn’t have gone any better!

The winners of our first ever Sea-Doo raffle was the Gallagher family of Port Charlotte! Purchasing just one ticket back in April, proved to be all they needed.  The Gallagher’s were  celebrating their daughters graduation in Boston when they received the call that they had won the ski.  It didn’t take them long to get on the water, as they were out enjoying the Sea-Doo the following weekend!!!

The crowd was entertained by one of Southwest Florida’s best country bands – One Night Rodeo, who graciously donated their time and “off the charts” music at the weigh in!  Hopefully this was just the beginning of many great years to come!!! (Thanks guys!!)

The winning teams were a mix of previous participants, paired up with two new teams.

Please visit the Results page to see a list of the winners!  We did throw in a 4th Place Award  this year which went to Team Ashmore Construction.  Another favorite of the tournament – the “Big Calcutta” which was $1100 and went to our 3rd Place winners – Fishing Fools and Tom Hargrove….proved to be not a bad day on the water for the team!  My personal favorite (although I  shouldn’t be bias!) went to our 2nd Place winners LowTide…Tony – one of Ryan’s best friends, Kristin, Casey, and my nephew Matt!  They also had the biggest catch of the day at 6.92#! First Place went to Team Red, who’s teammates have supported this tournament since the beginning, on one boat or another..- Big Red, Billy Glass, April and Chris – congrats!

Please feel free to email any photos you would like to have added to the gallery!

A special thanks again to all our sponsors – Becky, Jeff and the gang at RumRunners, Frank, Glenda and the crew at Cape Harbour and RealMark (without your support, none of this would be possible), Jason and the staff at Twisted Conch, my favorite Weigh Master – Wayne and family – Cape Tool and Tackle, Bobbi for the great food on Saturday – Geo’s and Cafe Aguilar, Bob at Direct Impressions – the brochures were FANTASTIC, Ray and Barbara at BMI, The Root Family – D & D Bait and Tackle, The Donaldson’s & ITC, Jerry and Val Sauber, SP Designs, Tim an the gang at Stevie Tomatos, Chris and Troy for the new website, MP Electric (thanks bro!), Florida MotorSports and Windward Construction- Brain and Lauren, for your love and support of me , and this tournament!  Lastly, all of the local businesses that donated gift certificates, silent auction items, and prizes, that helped to generate thousands of dollars…THANK YOU!!!!!

In closing, with my sincere gratitude and appreciation, thank you again for supporting Ryan’s tournament and helping make his and my wishes come true!!  See you all next year!!!

Kristin

At age 32, Barbara Haskell learned she had breast cancer.  During her four-year battle against the illness, Barbara marveled at the bravery of children with cancer.  She often wondered how children so young dealt with a treatment that sometimes can be more difficult than the disease itself.

She always spoke of her desire to help children in their fight against cancer.  Her parents, Betty and Frank Haskell, have helped make her wish come true with the creation of Barbara’s Friends – The Children’s Hospital Cancer Fund.  The organization’s rainbow logo comes from Barbara’s lifelong love of the classic film “The Wizard of Oz”, and it’s memorable song, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.  The heart at the end of the rainbow symbolizes the theme of love and hope for children with cancer.

Barbara lost her fight against cancer.  But her legacy, Barbara’s Friends, has helped many children in Southwest Florida win their battles.

Ryan shared the same sentiments as Barbara.  Being surrounded by children throughout his treatment, Ryan always admired their unbelievable strength, courage, and yet, such innocence.  He was a big “kid” himself, a “clown” without a costume as many remember him.  Barbara’s Friends and The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, can help make a difference in the life of a child with cancer or blood disorder. Every child deserves the best medical care, right here at home.

A former US Navy Diver, Ryan McCleskey ended his fight against cancer on February 3, 2006.  Born in Panama City Florida in 1979, then moving to Cape Coral, after middle school, Ryan always had a love for the water. Whether he was fishing or diving, the water was his home away from home.

He was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer, which generally affects young children, in April 2002, while stationed in Hawaii.  After completing fourteen cycles of chemotherapy, and two major surgeries, in Bethesda Maryland where he was first treated at the National Institute of Health, we thought it would be best to move back home to Cape Coral, near family and friends.

Ryan was in remission for six months before his cancer came back.  It was at that time, we found an amazing staff of doctors and nurses at The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.  Ryan’s friends put together the first fishing tournament in 2004.  Ryan felt the best way to express his gratitude for the care he received, was to continue the tournament for years to come and donate all the proceeds to Barbara’s Friends – The Children’s Hospital Cancer Fund.

Ryan passed away at home, the night before his second annual fishing tournament. He was surrounded by his family, friends, and countless fishing buddies that stopped by to see him that night.  Ryan had touched so many lives, whether it was the doctors, nurses, children that were being treated with him, or complete strangers.  With countless tattoos covering his arms and legs, your first impression was this “big, burly guy”, must be real rough and tough!  Just the opposite, Ryan had a heart of gold, great sense of humor, and would do anything for his family and friends.

To date we have raised over $50,000 for Barbara’s Friend’s and there will be a room named in Ryan’s honor at the new Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, which is to begin construction sometime in 2013.

This is our eighth annual tournament and look forward to many, many, more great years ahead of us, raising money for a cause that will always hold a special place in my heart.

I am sure Ryan is looking down with that big grin on his face, that we all knew so well!