Mohr’s Bar ice fishing contest plans 13th year of helping those in need

When area anglers hit the ice on Spirit Lake on the morning of Feb. 4 for Mohr’s Bar 13th annual Ice Fishing Contest, they will know they are helping make life brighter for some children in need.

As in past years, the event helps raise funds to help those facing challenges.

“We have done a lot of things over the years for kids,” explained Penny Mohr, one of the event organizers.

This year, the event will help a young girl, Briah, and her family. Briah was born with Spina Bifida a birth defect in which there is incomplete closing of the spine and the membranes around the spinal cord during early development in pregnancy.

The event is also helping raise funds for Duke Lucia’s family. Duke was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma, a cancerous brain tumor that starts in the lower back part of the brain. It impacts muscle coordination, balance and movement. Duke’s tumor metastasized to his spine and brain.

According to Mohr, as in the past, there has been a tremendous outpouring of support from the community for the contest with many businesses donating drawing prizes, toward raffles and other fundraising efforts.

The event runs from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Entrants must register before the contest starts with no entries after the contest starts.

She explained that people can register at Mohr’s Bar anytime before Saturday and that they will be opening the bar that morning from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. for last-minute registrations.

As in the past, the event will include 12 prize baskets for kids that are participating in the contest as well as prize bags donated by C& G Mini-Mart for each of the children participating. Other activities include raffle baskets and a 50/50.

Mohr said that thanks to the generosity of the local community and of the contest participants, they have been able to help people in Athens, Merrill, Ogema and Dorchester. She said they will often get tips on children and families in need from others that they have helped over the years.

Mohr noted the event is growing each year. “When we started we had exactly 36 people,” she said. Last year the event had over 100 participants.

“Each year it just gets bigger and bigger,” she said. “It is a lot of fun, you have to experience it to know how it feels,” Mohr said.