By Makenzie Atkins
Can you imagine being told you have to stop doing the one thing you really love? A teen from Port Richey, Victor Voras, was forced to quit fishing when he was diagnosed with cancer, and now that he has completed treatment, fishing is the only thing on his mind. The Bass Pro Shops in Tampa and the local City Electric Supply reps made this teenager’s wish come true last Saturday, July 24 by presenting him with a brand-new Bass Tracker boat.
Voras has had a passion for fishing since he was 7 years old. When he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, he thought his fishing days were over. That was until he learned he was going to be granted a wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Voras said that when he heard about Make-A-Wish, the only thing on his mind was a red and black Tracker boat.
Make-A-Wish is an organization that works with children ages 2 and a half to 18 in order to give them something special. Kids can wish to be something, meet someone, go somewhere, get something or give to a nonprofit organization. Once a child is enrolled in the program, people from Make-A-Wish source a local corporate sponsor to fund the wish. For Voras, that local sponsor was City Electric Supply.
City Electric Supply hosted a fishing tournament to raise the funds for the new Tracker boat. Once it raised the money, it reached out to Bass Pro Shops with the details Voras had given it and Bass Pro Shops worked to find the perfect boat.
“It is pretty hard to find a boat right now, so it took a couple months until we were able to find the perfect boat,” said Bass Pro Shops General Manager Jarron Ritchie, “but it was definitely worth it.”
Not only was Voras presented with a boat, he also was given a lot of fishing essentials. Lowrance Marine and Fishing Electronics donated the boat’s fish finder, Power-Pole donated a spike anchor and Bass Pro Shops loaded up the boat with fishing apparel, coolers and boat safety accessories. Bass Pro Shops also gave Voras a $200 gift card to shop with at the store along with a pair of brand-new premium sunglasses from Bass Pro Shops’ Sunglasses Outfitters.
Being that he has just completed the treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Voras is so excited to not only be able to go fishing again but to be able to go out on his very own boat, which he named ‘Chemosabi’ as a tribute to all he has been through.
“All I will be able to think about until I get to try out this boat is trying out this boat,” said Voras.
Voras has been dreaming about fishing since the day he was told he had to stop. Now that he is healthy and ready to get back out there, he plans to fish with his stepdad, who shares his passion of fishing.
For more information, contact Cheryl Kehrmeyer of the Bass Pro Shops Events, Promotions and Community Relations team at 655-2443 or cakehrmeyer@basspro.com.
