My day at sea for a great cause!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am a huge believer and supporter of Mary's Place by the Sea in Ocean Grove. It's a nonprofit that provides extra special care for women during and after cancer treatment by giving them a weekend away from their troubles in a house near the ocean.

This past weekend, there was a really cool fundraiser for Mary's Place by the Sea -- a women's fishing tournament called the Pink Ribbon Fluke Tournament. And I got to get out on a boat and try my luck with a rod I didn't get a catch but I had fun watching some of the other women reeling in their catches!

Captain Brian Rice
(photo by Diane Rexrode)
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Captain Brian Rice of Jersey Devil Sport Fishing donated his boat and his time to the tournament and taught us how to fish, along with Justin on his crew, and we had the best time in Sandy Hook Bay!

liz jeressi and justin
(Liz and Justin, photo by Diane Rexrode)
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I got to fish with Michele Gannon, Founder of Mary's Place, along with Maria McKeon and one of my girlfriends, too, so it was a completely different type of Girl's Day Out!

Michele Gannon and Mary McKeon
(Michele Gannon and Mary McKeon, photo by Diane Rexrode)
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Over 60 anglers gathered with the Staten Island Tuna Club at the Tackle US and The Reel Seat in Brielle for the weigh-in with the 1st place winner Amanda Tumminia having a whopping 10.10 pound fluke captained by her uncle Phil Tumminia aboard THE GAME.

biggest catch
(Amanda Tumminia, photo courtesy of Melanie Knobel)
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Rob Crocitto and Ramez Hawileh created The Piink Ribbon Fluke Tournament for Mary's Place by the Sea because Rob says "I believe in their mission. I have seen first-hand how the facility offers women with cancer a chance to escape their day-to-day struggles with managing their treatments and their lives. I think about a family friend of mine, Tricia, who is being treated for Stage 4 breast cancer and I have seen how taxing the entire treatment process can be on her and her family. I also think of my oldest son Robert (now 22) who, at the age of 4, was diagnosed with leukemia. Cancer is a terrible thing and any chance a place like Mary's Place can improve the life of a patient, it is a good thing."

We really did have a fantastic day at sea and we hope next year's tournament is even bigger! As of Saturday morning, over $10,000 had been raised!

diane rexrode
(photo by Diane Rexrode)
diane rexrode
(Diane Rexrode, photo by liz jeressi)
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At Mary's Place by the Sea, women with cancer are provided with unconditional care during their time of extreme need at NO COST. It is the vision of Mary's Place to give women with cancer a place to rest and recuperate during and after the rigors of their cancer treatments. The volunteers care for these women so they may focus on their healing, gaining strength to win the battle with cancer. Guests are welcome to stay a few hours or a few days if needed. Some of the amenities offered to guests are oncology massage, nutritional counseling, guided meditation, yoga, strength training and in-room spa services.

Mary's Place is currently building a 10-bedroom home so that they will never have to tell a woman she has to wait to receive these services which have nearly 5,000 women feel loved and supported. Fundraisers like the Pink Ribbon Fluke Tournament are helping build the home and continue the mission to help women across the nation fight cancer.

The first care center was opened in the summer of 2009 and currently operates at 15 Broadway Avenue in Ocean Grove as a 4-bedroom home.

Mary's Place by the Sea is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.

Check out this video to learn more about Mary's Place.

 

 

 

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