For the City-Times

The Seventh Annual Dan Sandstrom Walleye Tournament will be held Saturday, Aug. 10, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., with take-off at Bukolt Park in Stevens Point.

Tournament results and a raffle will follow at 4 p.m. at the Moose Family Center, 1025 Second St. N., Stevens Point. The event will include a Kids’ Casting Contest, a bike drawing with other prizes, and a raffle with proceeds benefiting United Way’s Learn for Life Reading Initiative.

After maxing out with 50 boats in last year’s tournament, organizers have expanded this year’s event to allow for 75 boats. “In a nutshell, bigger is better,” said organizer Rollie Vallin, who noted the tournament is held to pay tribute to his late brother-in-law, Dan Sandstrom. “The tournament will pay out more and the raffle is going to be bigger and better than last year; not to mention kids get the opportunity to have some fun at the casting contest at no cost to them for a chance at great prizes.”

The entry fee is $70 per boat, with two people allowed per boat. All entry fees will be paid back as prize money for the top 10 finishers in the tournament, with first place being $1,000 if a minimum of 50 boats participate. Vallin said each boat that participates will receive enough free fishing tackle from companies like Berkley, Northland Fishing Tackle, Rapala, Mepps and Strike King Lures for entering to cover their entry fee, which he noted no other tournaments offer, as well as free food and drink with the entry fee.

Entry forms are available online at www.unitedwaypoco.org/walleyetournament and clicking on the entry form link in the story. More information is also available by calling Vallin at 715-340-4859 or 715-345-0645.

The kids that participate in the free casting contest at the Moose Lodge will receive a goodie bag that includes a lure, Chili’s kids’ meal, admission to the Central Wisconsin Children’s Museum and one ticket toward the two grand prizes of a Trek bicycle and a Kindle Fire. Additional tickets can be purchased for the grand prizes.  After the casting is done, each caster will receive pizza and soda, with the top three casters in each age group receiving prizes for their accomplishments.

The contest starts at 2 p.m. and ends at 4 p.m., with results to be held at the Moose Lodge. Kids must be present to win the grand prizes that are offered.

This year’s raffle will offer items such items as two flat screen TVs, a laptop, a signed 2012 Green Bay Packers football in a glass case, family membership to the YMCA and musky box filled with lures.  Vallin said the Learn for Life program was a perfect fit to receive proceeds from the raffle. “When kids need it most, the Learn for Life program helps develop the kids’ early foundations of early reading and learning,” he said. “The tournament is basically a way to give back to the community and the support we receive from the community is used to help make an impact.”

“Proceeds from the Dan Sandstrom Walleye Tournament Raffle help ensure that the program has the tools and training to provide quality tutoring in order to help area students improve reading proficiency,” said Laura Pfeil, United Way of Portage County Community Initiatives Associate. “We can’t thank the tournament coordinators enough for their generosity.”

Pfeil noted the support the program receives from the tournament is especially important this year, as it will expand from five schools in Portage County this past school year to 12 schools this fall. “The program will be in all of the Stevens Point Area Public Elementary Schools, as well as St. Bronislava’s, St. Stephen’s and Rosholt Elementary Schools,” she said.

She said the program is still looking for additional tutors who can commit to one hour per week during the school day to help students with their reading proficiency. People should contact United Way of Portage County at 715-341-6740 or [email protected] to find out more about the program or sign up at www.volunteersrock.org.

The public is welcome to attend the reception and raffle.