Sunday is the last day to register at for the 1st Annual Fishing Tournament at Inspiration Wharf in Port Washington. The event benefits the Bellmore-based Long Island Crisis Center, whose mission is to provide "free, high quality, accessible and confidential services to Long Islanders in crisis."
The event runs runs from Friday, June 8 at 5 p.m. to Saturday, June 9 at 3 p.m. (last weigh-in), with partcipants fishing for bluefish, striped bass, or both. On Saturday, the wharf will feature food, music, vendors and fun.
Patch spoke with event chair Cathleen Cuneo Seaquist, a life-long Port Washington resident, who has spent months planning the tournament.
Fishermen "can also make reservations on the angler which is having three trips during the hours of the tournament Friday night from 5pm to Saturday last weigh in at 3 p.m.," she said. "There will be thousands of dollars in prizes. We have unbelievable sponsors – you can see them at www.longislandcrisiscenter.org, or on the Facebook event page."
"We are also selling a raffle for jets patriots tickets that are on sale now and will be drawn that day," she said. Port Washington-based motivational speaker "Steve Maraboli will be the MC, which we are thrilled about."
Seaquist discoverd the LICC at a work event and "loved the idea of 24 hour hotlines that help with everything – bullying, cyber bullying, suicide, LGBT and much much more. They have many outreach programs as well," she said.
Though the organization got its start in the 1970s, it is not very well known on the North Shore, Seaquist said.
Seaquist – who "lost friends to suicide" and "heard about bullying constantly" – "set off on a mission not only to raise money but most importantly to raise awareness of this life-saving center," she said.
Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for young people, according to the LICC, which also reports that for the first time since 1998, it is among the top ten causes of death.
"I wanted our North Shore kids to know that [the LICC is] there... just a phone call or now even a text away," she said.
