Fishing tournament to benefit Lonestar Paralysis Foundation

Monday, 03 October 2011 by Thomas Tavaziva

Tyson Dever, who is an avid fisherman and paralyzed from the waist down, organized the Lone Star Bass Classic at Belton Lake to benefit the Lonestar Paralysis Foundation.The 1st Annual Tyson Dever Lone Star Bass Classic will take place on Oct. 1, at Lake Belton.

The bass fishing tournament will benefit the Lonestar Paralysis Foundation and is expected to attract approximately 100 boats.

Tyson Dever, organizer of the event and avid fisherman, is excited about the opportunity to bring a fishing tournament to Belton.

"The idea to have a bass fishing tournament was brought to me by a family friend and I immediately thought that it would be a great idea," said Dever, who has been planning for this event for almost 15 months.

"This fundraiser for Lone Star Paralysis Foundation is great for Belton because it brings in people from all over the state to see all Belton has to offer and to enjoy the gorgeous lake and activities, while bringing in tourism dollars to the town," Dever said.

Lone Star Paralysis Foundation has a golf tournament that they host in the spring and the fishing tournament is an opportunity to expand their reach for this great cause.

"I'm excited about this because I thoroughly enjoy fishing and I wanted to do something I enjoy while helping making a difference for others at the same time," Dever said.

On March 11, 2005, Dever survived a car accident that rendered him paralyzed from the waist down. Although he lost his ability to walk he has since inspired people to be determined in life and live complete fulfilled lives.

"First and foremost we want to raise money for the LSPF so we can get people like me out of their wheelchairs and walking again," he said. "I want to raise awareness for the foundation and the great work they do and also give the anglers a great time and experience on the lake."

There will also be a silent auction at the tournament. There will be gift cards for hotels, sporting goods stores, reel and rod combos, food gift certificates and autographed memorabilia.

Dever said the sponsors and co-organizers that have contributed to the event have helped with the tournament.

"We have Jeff Cook with the Faith Angler Network running our tournament and he has been a great resource to get anglers involved, and Andrea Vick has also helped immensely," Dever added.

Vick agreed with Dever that the fishing tournament would be great for Belton.

"This event will put new eyeballs on everything Belton has to offer and it will give people a reason to want to come back and bring their families and spend time in this great place," Vick said.

Late registration will be held between 6-8 p.m. on Friday at Dead Fish Grill.

"We are always looking for donations for more research," Dever said. "We are going to find a cure one day and every dollar helps us get closer to that. We would love for the community to come out to weigh in on Oct. 1st at 3 p.m. and support the anglers as they come in with their catches."

For more information visit www.lonestarparalysis.org.

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