Derby Day Success

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ith a cool breeze on an overcast morning in Palmer, Alaska, there were many excited children awaiting the 10am start time of the Mat-Su Kids Ice Fishing Derby. Last weekend, we were able to participate in this wonderful family friendly event, put on by Ehmann Outdoors. This was an event put on for local kids, benefiting the Alaskan division of the Make-A-Wish foundation. The Ehmann's set out with a seemingly  lofty goal of raising $10,000 for the charity with this single event. Many sponsors came out of the woodwork to make this event possible and with no idea how many children to expect, Jehn Ehmann told me that they would be happy if they had 300 kids fishing. As it turned out there were more than 430 kids that fished in this derby!  Counting the $10 derby entry fee, and along with raffle tickets for gear that were being sold at the event, the combination of the fantastic turnout and generous community support blew past the 10K goal and bringing the total to more than $11,000! At the derby we were able to get around and take a few photos of kids having fun on the hard water. We have edited the photos and made them available to the participants on The Alaska Life Facebook page. We would love for you to save, share, and print the photos of your children that participated in the event. If you missed out this year, don't fret! There are already exciting plans in the works for next year's derby. Along with many the returning, there are new sponsors already stepping up, and the Ehmann's are full steam ahead in coordinating next year's derby to make it bigger and better for all involved! If you brought your family out to fish your hearts out, thank you! Thank you, for helping make this derby a smashing success by not only encouraging the next generation to get outside and appreciate the outdoors, but supporting a local charity in bringing dreams to fruition for children with life threatening conditions. Well done!   You can find more about Ehmann Outdoors and what they are up to at  their website: www.ehmannoutdoors.com or find them on Facebook as well! Find out how the Make-A-Wish Foundation is bringing dreams to life in the Northwest Division. You can also find out how you can help by volunteering,donating, or referring a child by clicking HERE!