Fish Tales Fishing Club Nets Huge Catch for Kids Fighting Cancer

Fish Tales Fishing Club in Oak Forest netted over 300 toys, $340 in gift cards and $710 recently to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF). During the past twelve years the club hosted a Christmas party and asked members to bring a toy, gift or gift card for children fighting cancer. This year the party was cancelled due to the coronavirus, but the coronavirus did not stop fishermen Fred Howes and Frank Knight as they asked the members to drop off toys and gifts at Frank Knight’s house every Saturday for eight consecutive weeks. The catch was huge.

Fish Tales Fishing Club (www.fishtalesfishingclub.com) is an organization of men and women who meet monthly to discuss fishing techniques, conduct seminars about local lakes and to support the South Suburban Special Recreation Association by organizing weekly fishing trips throughout the summer.

Fish Tales Fisherman Fred Howes said, “I love what the Treasure Chest Foundation is doing. Our club was very generous, and we enjoy bringing smiles to the faces of kids fighting cancer. We never thought of not collecting.” Frank Knight chimed in by saying, “It’s what we do.”

Treasure Chest Foundation CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel expressed her gratitude for the generous support shown by the Fishing Club members. “The Fish Tales Fishing Club members have been in our corner for twelve years. Each passing year their toy and gift card drives are bigger and better,” said an appreciative Ms. Kisel. “The Fishing Club’s tremendous support will brighten the lives of so many brave children and teens battling cancer.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 14,600 young cancer patients in 61cancer treatment centers in 20 states across the nation and in the District of Columbia. Nowhere else in the nation does such a program exist. Colleen Kisel founded the organization in 1996 after her then seven-year-old son Martin had been diagnosed with leukemia in 1993. Ms. Kisel discovered that giving her son a toy after each procedure provided a calming distraction from his pain, noting that when children are diagnosed with cancer their world soon becomes filled with doctors, nurses, chemotherapy drugs, surgeries and seemingly endless painful procedures. Martin celebrated his 27th anniversary of remission from the disease in March of 2020.

If you would like further information about the Treasure Chest Foundation, please contact Colleen Kisel at 708-687-TOYS (8697) or visit the Foundation’s web site at www.treasurechest.org.