Anglers Fish For A Cure

A boat of primarily Severna Park and Arnold residents reeled in record fundraising amounts as they participated in the 16th annual Fish For A Cure fundraising tournament last month.

The tournament was held to benefit the Cancer Survivorship Program at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Geaton and JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Institute.

Reel Counsel, a Fish For A Cure squad established in 2018 by Eagle Title and Liff, Walsh & Simmons, earned the top team spot by raising more than $144,000 to provide support, hope and peace of mind for patients battling cancer.

Brad Walsh serves as the president of Eagle Title and captain of Reel Counsel, and his firms of Liff, Walsh & Simmons and Eagle Title were introduced to the event through a fellow boat captain and Anne Arundel Medical Center board member who approached him about getting involved.

Walsh has seen the first-hand effects on individuals undergoing treatment for cancer and the family members supporting them. Walsh’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. She went into remission but was diagnosed again in 2018.

“We, unfortunately, lost her in April of 2022, so this year’s campaign was in her honor,” Walsh said. “It is extremely important that we continue to pay it forward to other individuals like her.”

Also on the water for the tournament was an all Severna Park and Arnold-manned boat, Strikezone, captained by Eric Milton.

Milton said that while no one in his immediate family has been diagnosed with cancer, it’s impossible not to know someone affected by the disease. Strikezone has been in the tournament for nine years and plans to be back in 2023 for the annual November event.

“This is a great tournament for an even greater cause,” Milton said. “The [Anne Arundel Medical Center] foundation does an absolutely great job with the tournament and the events leading up to it. It’s a pleasure to be a part of it.”

For Milton, community involvement is a family priority. His son, Kody Milton, is a member of team Strikezone. Although he’s in his senior year at the U.S. Naval Academy, the younger Milton has learned the importance of giving back from his father.

Kody Milton said Fish For A Cure is important for his family because even if you don’t know someone who has been impacted by cancer, you likely know someone else who has been through tough times because of it.

“We want to do anything we can to help,” Kody Milton said.

Walsh said he and his partners are lifelong residents of Anne Arundel County and giving back to the community where they have chosen to live, work, play and raise their families is important. He stressed the difficulty for those who haven’t had to undergo cancer treatment to fully understand how much a diagnosis and treatment can impact their lives, whether emotionally, physically or financially.

“The services that are provided through the Cancer Survivorship Program are completely free to those individuals who need those programs,” Walsh said. “The entire program receives the funds we raise from the tournament and our fundraising efforts.”

Walsh said that captains and anglers of teams at the tournament have become creative in their efforts to raise funds for the program.

“It also provides an event and cause for a lot of people who are not traditionally involved in other philanthropic activities,” Walsh said. “It’s tough to not get behind such a great cause.”

Members of team Reel Counsel included Brad Walsh, Bradley Benjamin, David Lillefloren, Erin McNaboe, Jay Walsh, Jeff Kelly, Joel Wotell, John Miller, John Rosso, Matt Wyble, Mike Duvall, Nick Clark, Ryan Blades, Susan Hannon and Tom Simmons.

Members of team Strikezone included Eric Milton, Kody Milton, Peter Draughn, Pete Bloom, Jim Weyant, A.J. Weyant and Rich Benitiz.