redbone boat winner
ISLAMORADA, Fla., — There were a lot of winners at the 24th Redbone “Fruits of our Labors” check presentation to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at the Lorelei in Islamorada.
First there was Robert Baumann of Big Pine Key, a long time supporter and former guide in the Redbone trilogy of Florida Keys celebrity tournaments for CF research, who won in a drawing for the fully equipped “To Catch the Cure” Dragonfly skiff.
He purchased what would be the winning ticket after reading about the annual event in one of the local Keys newspapers.
“From my past direct involvement I know personally the efforts the Redbone has made towards conquering CF so I called their office to make the $100 donation over the phone for a super raffle ticket,” said a very elated Baumann.
He won a Dragonfly Boatworks 16-ft. Emerger center console complete with a 50 hp Evinrude outboard and trailer.
Then there was Mike Macco, of Lloyd Harbor, on New York’s Long Island, whose $50 winning Redbone ticket won him a nine day Adventure of a Lifetime travel package at the Crocodile Bay Resort in Puerto Jimeniz, Costa Rica. The four person package valued at $25,000 includes five days of fishing, two days of eco tours, beach or spa, domestic air fare, luxury accommodations and gourmet meals at Crocodile Bay Resort where the popular Redbone@Large Celebrity OSA Classic is held each March.
And the other big winners are the thousands of CF patients who will benefit from this year’s $1.3 million dollar check presented by the Redbone for CF research raised from the Redbone’s 29 fishing tournaments in 2011.
It was the seventh straight year that a million or more dollars has been presented by Capt. Gary and Susan Ellis and the Redbone family of guides, celebs and volunteers to the CF Foundation since they started the celebrity fund-raising fishing tournaments 24 years ago.
“It was a special event and we were elated to talk about how close medical scientists are through genetic research, to finding a cure for CF that will be life changing for over 80% of the patients now suffering with the disease.” said Ellis. “We could be just one or two years away.”
This November the Redbone will be celebrating its 25th anniversary with the tournament which spring boarded a trilogy (in Key West, Key Largo and Islamorada) of Keys tournaments and then saw further growth of 26 other Redbone fishing events in the U.S., the Bahamas, Mexico and Costa Rica.
For more info call the Redbone office at 305-664-2002, or go online to www.redbone.org
