Fishing For Life 20th Annual Fundraiser

20th Annual Fishing For Life Gala – Experience The Magic

Presenting Sponsor Edge Home Financing – Tom Ahles

Founded in 2004, Fishing For Life has dedicated over two decades to serving youth, families, veterans, and communities through its fishing and outdoor programs. While the organization’s mission centers on these activities, its core values lie in fostering relationships – first and foremost with Christ, who serves as the driving force behind their work.

Intentionally designed fishing and outdoor programs serve as avenues for building relationships with various groups across the state, including at-risk youth, families, veterans, and communities in Minnesota and throughout the Midwest.

Founded in 2004, Fishing For Life has spent over two decades living out our mission of serving youth, families, veterans, and communities through fishing and outdoor programs. To create opportunities for relationships, our 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization uses hands-on fishing events, outdoor programming and mentoring to impact the lives of youth, single parent families, and military veterans throughout Minnesota. These programs range from customized youth and family events, men’s and women’s groups, veteran’s programs, and one-on-one mentorships. Through its outreach efforts, Fishing For Life has positively impacted over 63,000 youths, families, and veterans and plans to continue to grow its reach in our community. In 2024 alone in our 8+ programs we were blessed to utilize over 830 volunteers (duplicated number) who logged over 7250 volunteer hours through our programs at over 178 community events. We had 284 youth campers and over 465 veteran/military personnel attend our events. We donated over 1,410 rods and reels and 270 tackle boxes back into the community through our Reel ‘Em In Program. And held 17 trout ponds in 4 states.

While the organization’s mission centers on fishing and hunting activities, its core values lie in fostering relationships—first and foremost with Christ, who serves as the driving force behind their work. Intentionally designed fishing and outdoor programs serve as avenues for building relationships with various groups across the state, including at-risk youth, families, veterans, and communities in Minnesota and throughout the Midwest. Fishing For Life’s emphasis on building relationships underscores its belief in the importance of connection, both with each other and with a higher spiritual purpose.

Founder and CEO, Tom Goodrich, was struck with the idea of Fishing For Life while serving in Afghanistan. He felt called to create something that would touch 10,000 kids, helping to raise money for church-based programs for inner-city youth. Upon return from war in April 2004, Tom created Fish-A-Thon which did just that. This idea engaged the secular world, the business world, and the fishing world. From these grassroots efforts Fishing For Life has grown into 8+ impactful program areas. The growth that Fishing For Life has been able to accomplish in its 21 years of existence has in part been due to grants, foundations, corporate funding, and donors like you!

Our Core Programs Are:

• Deep C’s: Men’s Ministry
• Outdoor Women for Life (OWLs): Women’s Ministry
• Military Relationships Through Recreation: Active Military and Veteran Events Fishing and Hunting
• Reel ‘Em In (REI): Rod/Reel and Tackle Restoration and Community Donation Program
• Reel Hope: At-risk youth program including REI, Pier Fishing, and Fishing Charter; also includes Badges and Bobbers, Community and Sheriffs Together (CAST), and other youth groups and partners.
• Lake Events: Ice Castle Ministry, Pastor’s Fishing Tournament, Church Group Outings
• Youth Camps & Differently Abled Camps: Fishing and Hunting
• Mobile Trout Ponds and Kids Zone
• Special Events: Gala, Golf Tournaments