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Proceeds from charity ice-fishing event in Manitoba missing

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Manitoba’s fishing community wants to know what happened to the proceeds from a charity tournament earmarked for the Children’s Hospital Foundation.

“I’m not happy at all, like it’s very frustrating,” said tournament participant Kris Gaune.

“There has to be an explanation for this, like, I couldn’t really process this,” said angler and fishing blogger Shu-Mon Mok who used his platform to promote the tournament.

According to those who took part in the tournament last February hundreds of anglers entered the Full Tilt Winter Walleye Tournament.

It was an ice-fishing event organized to raise funds for the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba.

The tournament allowed anglers to snag fish and send proof of their catches virtually.

For $50, people could enter to win cash and prizes donated by businesses.

Gaune donated free guide trips.

“It was just a bonus that the money you were putting in was going to a charity and you had the chance at actually winning some money back or prizes,” said Gaune.

However, the hospital foundation tells CTV News in a statement it has not received any of the proceeds.

“To date the funds from this third party event have not been turned over to the foundation. We are continuing to try to resolve this with the organizer,” reads the statement.

CTV News is not naming the organizer and has reached out to him for comment.

The foundation said it also consulted with the Winnipeg Police Service.

In a statement, the WPS tells CTV News it is aware of the situation “and investigators are assessing the information. No investigation has been initiated as of yet.”

FishDonkey, the company behind the app used for the event, said it has spoken with the Winnipeg Police Service’s financial crimes unit.

It is unclear how much money was raised, but some in the fishing community say it could range between $20,000 and $30,000.

There is now an effort by some of the participants and vendors to set up another fundraiser to make the foundation whole.

“I would love to see that happen, just to get something to the kids and the foundation,” said Gaune.

Shu-Mon Mok worries this could put a chill on similar fundraising efforts.

“People are really going to be thinking twice about such events and I really hope that’s not the case because it’s really a good idea in the end,” said Mok.

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