A Special Request For Our Friend In Need

Hey Guys, I’m going to do something I normally don’t do here. We all have a buddy here, we are all buds/friends here on the site, one big fishing family, and one of us just spent 3 weeks and 4 days in the hospital and had three surgeries and we came close to losing him and knowing that it cost a huge amount of money for all that can really drain a person for many years. And that doesn’t even include the 2 to 3 months off of work money that Mike will have lost. So I would like to set up a little fund raiser here to help Mike try to pay some bills and keep him from losing everything he has. If you can great, and please don’t feel bad if you can’t because your continued prayers will help alot too. But those of us that can I would like to give the opportunity for us to be able to sent some money to help Mike and his family out. What ever amount you can send can be sent to:
Mike Smith
Hooked On Fishing
5510 Hwy. 63 North
Rochester, Minnesota
55906

I want to say in advance ‘THANK YOU” very much for all who can and do try to help Mike and his family in this way. And also ”THANK YOU” for all the responses for prayers that Nate and I have requested over this past month. I’m truely convinced that your prayers is what kept Mike alive through all of this. I was able to talk to him on the phone while he was lying there on the bed/table waiting to be moved into the room to be operated on the 2nd. time and he basicaly was saying his goodbyes to me as things didn’t look good for him at that time and his last request was that I share the love of what Christ did for us all on the cross so that none of us had to go to hell as he didn’t think he would be alive to try to save people from going there. Thats the kind of person Mike is. He was more concerned for his fellow man than he was for himself at a time when he thought he may leaving us. Mike has no idea at all that I am doing what I’m doing right now. This is something that I’m asking for on my own with nobody in his family having the slightest idea that it is being done. I look at this site as all of us being one big fishing family. The love of fishing seems to give all of us a special bond. Some may think I’m crazy, others will know what I’m trying to say. I’m speaking from my heart. If you don’t understand me now, someday when you are older you will. Family is very important, and so is fishing to me. And one of my fishing family members is in need of our continued prayers and needs any financial support we could possibly give too. He would never ask for that last part of the need I mentioned, but I will ask in his place for the need to be met. Thanks from the bottom of my heart for all you have done to help our friend. Hes alive becaused we believed in prayer and he will get through through the financial battle because we cared too.
Thanks everyone for your support and prayers.
Thanks, Bill

Another thing we could do is to give his place (Hooked on Fishing) a little more business. We all buy fishing supplies and sometime it is easier to just order from Cabelas, Bass Pro, etc. because they have catalogs and a large selection. Maybe for 2004 we could all make a special effort to stop in at Mike’s place and see if we could buy/order our fishing supplies from him. I am sure he would appreciate all the business he can get.

I can’t even imagine the medical bills he must have acquired this last month.

Dave Gulczinski

Bill leave it to you to do the right things at the right time!! I think a higher power is speaking through you
AS the old saying goes the check is in the mail.
This is just oneway we can all help out a very specail person whether we know him or not! You can be sure that Mike would be one of the first to help out someone else in a time of need. With all the good people here on this site we should be able to give Mike a big boost!—THANKS!–V

In response to Dave G.s post I want to let everyone know that Mike can order items for them that are not in his store. With limited space there is only so much you can carry on hand but he has the ability to order many items that he doesn’t stock. So Hooked On Fishing is the place to be for what you need. He has always tried to carry what the fisherman want as he is the kind od guy who wants to satisfy you. Thanks, Bill

ps Thanks for your kindness Randy [Pro V]. And ”Thanks” in advance to all who help whether its prayer, money, or both. YOU are much appreciated. Thanks, Bill

Not to many responses to this
Wanted to bring this back to the top.