Casting for a Cure (CFC) is a fish-a-thon that will take place on bodies of water across Greater Minnesota. Participants can fish their favorite body of water in search of the biggest catch and largest limit of fish. Participants will record their success on a CFC Angling Log and with a digital photo of their catch on a CFC official Fish Measuring Stick. Anglers will bring their log and digital photos to the CFC angler check-in between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the Blue Line Sports Bar and Grill in Sartell. An awards ceremony will follow with cash awards, trophies and prizes to be presented for multiple species in adult and youth divisions.

Even if you didnÕt catch a fish during the day, or participate as an angler at all, you are welcome to come and support the cause! There will be a silent auction with great items to bid on, a chance to win door prizes, and other moving, motivating and fun events throughout the night. The Blue Line is also donating 10% of its sales that night to Greater Minnesota Fight for a Cure!

Registration for Casting for a Cure is open now through September 9th at www.castingforacure.org. The minimum registration fee is $30. Anglers who want to help even more are encouraged to start a pledge drive and/or buy a bobber for $5. Anglers will receive official rules, an angling log, awards ceremony and silent auction details, and the official aluminum Fish Measuring Stick (valued at $25) in their angler registration pack.

Thank you for your coverage and help encouraging people to register for our event. Page 2 of 3 CFC Planning Committee member Trent Karasch encourages families and avid or novice anglers to sign up, ÒIts something different, a day on the lake, and a unique way to raise funds. Plus, all of the money donated stays local.Ó

Money raised this year will be donated to the Coborn Cancer Center (CCC) in St. Cloud. The center provides medical, emotional and social support for cancer patients and their families. Dee Coppock with the CCC says donations like this take the Center from excellent to outstanding by boosting funding for programs that help patients and families. One of those is the Enhancement Program where Coppock says patients can go to feel normal, ÒThey can get wigs after theyÕve had chemo, they can learn how to care for their skin. ItÕs a place thatÕs very, very important for someone whoÕs loosing their identity.Ó The families behind Casting for a Cure know firsthand how important programs at the Coborn Cancer Center are during stressful and uncertain times when a loved one is affected by cancer. The Karasch family experienced a tragic loss in November of 2008 when Sandy Karasch died at the age of 56, after battling Multiple Myeloma (a form of bone marrow cancer) for almost a year. Sandy left behind her husband Rick, adult children Trent, Jay, Tracy and Sarah and many adorable grandchildren.

Sarah (Karasch) Cords recalls the support her family received from the Coborn Cancer Center, ÒI remember feeling like things were so out of control, but there were so many outlets for support and information that I knew I could turn to any one and find a comforting word, or an idea on how to help myself, my family, and my mom especially.Ó Soon after SandyÕs death, the Karasch family made its first donation to the Enhancement Program at the CCC. The family is joined by the Schulte family in Casting for a Cure efforts. The two are connected by TracyÕs husband Joe Schulte. His mother, Aggie Schulte, is now in remission after fighting inflammatory breast cancer.

Dee Coppock says it is beautiful to watch families turn their grief into something positive, ÒIt benefits everybody around them and it benefits them because theyÕre making a difference. TheyÕre making it so that other people can have the same good experience or even better maybe than their mother had when she was here.Ó

The families and their friends are now taking on the cancer battle and inviting the community to join them. A fish-a-thon to raise money for cancer research and resources is a perfect fit to remember and honor Sandy Karasch. ÒEven while going through the bone marrow transplant treatment, Mom was constantly trying to find ways to get to the lake and get a line in without compromising her health, given her vulnerable immune system,Ó says Tracy Schulte.

Thank you for your coverage and help encouraging people to register for our event. Page 3 of 3 So join us on September 12th for a day of fishing and a night of fun! Transform your grief into hope and help others in our community receive the outstanding care they deserve. The Casting for a Cure Planning Committee is a branch of Greater Minnesota Fight for a Cure. Its members have all been touched by cancer in different ways.

The vision of GMFFC is to support cancer patients and families impacted by cancer in Greater Minnesota, while involving the community and raising funds for cancer research and resources.

As of August 11, 2009, Casting for a Cure has raised $8,500 through sponsor donations, commemorative bobber sales, angler registrations, and other generous donations and fundraising efforts.

To learn more and follow Casting for a Cure, go to:

www.castingforacure.org - there is a ÒNewsroomÓ link on the bottom of the page

www.facebook.com/pages/Casting-for-a-Cure/141293210280

www.twitter.com/castingforacure

The vision of Greater Minnesota Fight for a Cure is to support cancer patients and families impacted by cancer in Greater Minnesota, while involving the community and raising funds for cancer research and resources.

GMFFC Director Tracy (Karasch) Schulte and her husband Joe first dreamt up this idea after Tracy’s mom, Sandy Karasch, lost her battle with multiple myeloma in 2008, at the age of 56. The painful and exhausting fight came only 2 years after Joe’s mom, Aggie Schulte, was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer. Aggie is now in remission.

Joe’s idea began as a fish-a-thon fundraiser and grew into GMFFC, with help from family and friends. Now Sarah Cords, Trent Karasch, Jay Karasch and their spouses are working along with Tracy and Joe to transform the energy that was absorbed by grief into an energy that can improve our community and the lives of those affected by cancer.

The Karasch family says starting this new charity is helping them cope with losing their mother. “I miss her everyday. She was my best friend, my supporter, the person who spoiled my kids and the cornerstone of my family,“ says Sarah Cords. Jay Karasch says it’s been so nice to hear from people across the state who want to help. Sarah adds, “When others started signing up to be members, or chair committees for our charity event, and I saw their excitement at helping, it is a very positive and healing moment.”

This year, the money raised by GMFFC will directly benefit the Coborn Cancer Center in Sartell, MN. Tracy and Joe Schulte say the Coborn Cancer Center was one of the places their families always looked to for support and encouragement. Tracy believes, “Hope can be drawn out of a positive experience, and we need cancer patients and their families to always feel they are surrounded by hope.”

Trent Karasch says there were many tangible and intangible benefits the Coborn Cancer Center gave his family, “Mom really appreciated the smaller things that you do not hear about. She was really excited when she found out she could get a wig for no cost, beauty products and classes that came with them. I appreciated that they offered my family counseling services.”

Now, GMFFC is working hard to “pay it forward” and ensure the great cancer resources that were available to Sandy and Aggie continue to prosper and multiply for all the patients and families that are dealing with the impact of cancer. Jay says, “Knowing that people are using those resources everyday, even our other family members… it’s nice to be able to help out.”

Their goal is to raise $10,000 in the land of 10,000 lakes for cancer research and resources, through their upcoming event “Casting for a Cure.” The event is on September 12, 2009. We’ll send your newsroom more information on the event in August. GMFFC hopes “Casting for a Cure” will bring the community and families together to enjoy a great Minnesota pastime while raising money for a great cause.

More information available at: www.castingforacure.org

Follow GMFFC on twitter: http://twitter.com/CastingForACure

*Photo/video opportunity: The GMFFC board will be meet at the Schulte home to discuss the upcoming event. You will see family and friends working around a kitchen table to make a difference in our community, while babysitters attempt to distract the kids. Details: Wednesday, July 22nd - 6:30 p.m. - 6565 Moonlight Lane, Sartell, MN 56377