LITTLE EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Volunteers from the Southern Ocean County Chapter of the Sunshine Foundation will host their 28th Annual Fishing Tournament on Saturday, raising funds to send a local child with special needs on a Disney Cruise.
The tournament will take place between Barnegat Inlet and Great Egg Inlet, concluding with a weigh-in and awards ceremony starting at 3 p.m. at American Legion Post #493 at 420 Radio Rd. A Family Fun Day and Dream Come True presentation for 12-year-old Mikayla and her family will follow between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Mikayla, from Turkerton, has been diagnosed with neurofibromatosis Type 2, a rare genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves, especially in the brain and spine. The event’s proceeds will fund her wish for a family Disney Cruise.
“Mikayla, having a ‘dream’ or something to look forward to might offer her a sense of purpose or motivation,” her mother said. “It might also give her the chance to develop resilience or cope with the difficulties NF2 can present.”
Founded in 1997, the fishing tournament has raised more than $300,000 for the Sunshine Foundation, which grants dreams to children with lifelong chronic illnesses and disabilities. The organization serves children with conditions including severe autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and others.
The Sunshine Foundation does not require a life-threatening diagnosis for eligibility and supports dreams ranging from theme park trips to specialized equipment. More than 43,000 children have received dream experiences since the foundation’s launch in 1976.
A fishing tournament in Ocean County aims to make one girl’s dream of a Disney Cruise a reality.