Teenage Philanthropist Hosts Annual Fishing Tournament

The third annual Fish-For-A-Wish fishing tournament, held May 20 in Arnold, raised more than $2,200 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Founder Eli Pereira, 13, began the tournament in 2021 as a way to honor his third-grade teacher who died of cancer.

This year’s event attracted more than a dozen kids and their families. While the first half hour of fishing produced zero catches, the second half saw a turn of events. In the end, more than 30 fish were caught, and every participant won a prize.

“Start with your neighborhood and let it go from there,” Eli advises other budding philanthropists.

A new feature this year was a website that sends donations directly to Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic. If you’d like to donate to Eli’s Fish-For-A-Wish campaign, visit his fundraising page.