I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Debbie DePersia; she and Frank Papp are the brains behind the Green Harbor Tuna Club’s 52nd Annual Giant Tuna Tournament. Obviously this event has been around for a long time, 9 years longer than I have been on this Earth! Last year’s tourney attracted nearly 50 boats, and by all accounts it was a rousing success and they are expecting an even bigger turnout this year. But the tournament carries some extra meaning in 2023…
The Dion Family, longtime members of the Green Harbor Tuna Club, were hit with the kind of news that no parent ever even wants from their doctor. Their son, Peter, was diagnosed (at age 10) with an ultra-rare form of muscular dystrophy known as Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy 2C after taking a few unexplained falls while playing baseball. This disease comes on as a result of a genetic defect, so they had to test their other two children and were devastated to learn that their daughter Maggie, age 8, also tested positive. This disease has no cure and will have a significant impact on the lives of these children, they may lose the ability to walk by their mid-teens.
In the midst of navigating the magnitude of this diagnosis, parents Courtney and Joe, harnessed their grief and fear and used their combined energies to from the Dion Foundation. Their mission is to, “increase awareness of rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases, like Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy, that affect children with the intention of allocating funds for research and development of potential treatments and cures for these devastating diseases.”
As a proud and devoted parent, I can’t even fathom what this loving family is going through. It would be so easy to just let the weight of the situation take over, and I am humbled and inspired to see them rising above in their greatest time of need, thinking about the needs of others. This is why I felt that it was so important to highlight their cause. Please head over to www.thedionfund.org, read through their website and make a donation. This is an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of fellow anglers, fellow New Englanders, (people just like you and me) and our future children.
If you’re a tuna fisherman, please sign up for the tournament, the entry fee is $250 per boat and the profits will go to the Dion Foundation. The tournament spans three days, August 31 and September 3rd and 4th. Your entry fee will also cover your membership for one year to the Green Harbor Tuna Club and get you a Captain’s Bucket filled with loot. You don’t even have to run your fish all the way back to their official weigh station, you can weigh it in anywhere and email your sell-slip in (or present it in person). There will be an awards banquet on September 4th at the club beginning at 5:30 p.m. and you can also sign up in person at the club on August 30.
To sign up or to learn more about the tournament you can send an email to [email protected], or contact (call or text) Debbie DePersia at 781-727-3667 or Frank Papp at 617-908-5543. To learn more about the club please visit www.greenharbortunaclub.com. And to support the Dion Foundation you can visit the website above, follow @thedionfoundation on Instagram, sign up for one of their events or simply make a donation.
I think we can all agree that this is a cause anyone can support.
