Fishing4SDCharities
"Co-Angler with a Cause": Allen Schlenker
Welcome to Fishing4SDCharities.com! This website is dedicated to raising money 4 SD charities that I have been affiliated with over the years.
Throughout my life, I've had the opportunity to volunteer for many different events and organizations. You may ask yourself...why? Quite simply...I enjoy giving back. But I am always left wondering...can I be doing more? Should I be doing more? What should I be doing?
When you volunteer, sometimes a person is left wondering...are you making a difference? When I look around the world, I see lots of good people doing lots of good things on many different levels. In the summer of 2025, I volunteered as a guide for the Fishing for Families annual fishing outing. By my standards, it was a tough day on the water. Hot, windy, tough bite (for me at least), and it seemed like allot of work. I wasn't sure my "clients" had a good time as the fish we caught were relatively small, and we ended up all wet due to piercing one of several big waves on our way back to the boat ramp!
That evening, I shared with my wife the challenges of the day. I wasn't sure this volunteer guide gig was for me. I was questioning my future participation as a volunteer. Just a few minutes after that conversation, I received the nicest text from the event organizer. She forwarded a text from one of the "clients" I had on board with me that explained what a wonderful experience her and her family had that day and how much fun her family had. They at the fish they caught that evening and thanked us for our participation. It was the nicest thank you I had ever received! Yes, a single person can make a difference!!
This event, along with my current stage in life, got me thinking...how can I combine my love of fishing, tournament fishing and giving back?
Hence...I came up with (and blessed by my lovely and gracious wife, Tanya) Fishing4SDCharities.com.
Here's how it will work...
This year I have entered the four National Walleye tournament events as a co-angler. Each tournament will have a designated charity associated with it. People or corporations can pledge a dollar amount for each pound of fish I weigh during the tournament to the charity assigned to that specific tournament. The tournaments are two-day events. The official weights will be tallied by the National Walleye Tour. Here's how it will work:
Day 1 Weight + Day 2 Weight X $ Amount Pledged = Donation To The Charity!
Any prize money I win during the event as a co-angler will be split 50/50 with the charity designated to that event. Top prize as a co-angler for each event is $10,000. All the expenses related to the participation in the event, including registration, lodging, fuel, etc...will be mine alone. I ask for no money for myself.
The dates for the events are as follows and the benefitting charities will be:
April 9-10, 2026: Monroe, MI (Lake Erie) - Boys and Girls Club of the Sioux Empire
May 20-21, 2026: Mobridge, SD (Missouri River) - Fishing For Families
June 18-19, 2026: Gladstone, MI (Bay De Noc / Lake Michigan) - Ronald McDonald House Charities
July 30-31, 2026: Oconto, WI (Bay of Green Bay / Lake Michigan) - Unbroken and Brave Foundation
Championship: August 27-29, 2026: Lake Sakakawea, ND - No specific charity for the championship. If I win any prize money, 1/2 of the prize money will be split between the four charities.
TO FOLLOW THE NATIONAL WALLEYE TOUR AND RESULTS, click on the link below:
https://www.outdoorteamworks.com
Please review information about each of the charities below and click on the link provided and associated with the charity to make your pledge.
At the end of the tournament season, I will notify the charity of your choice of my total weight (rounded to the nearest pound). The charity you chose will be in direct contact with you to make arrangements with you to facilitate your direct donation to the charity.
So please join me...pick a charity, pick a dollar amount, make a pledge and give back!! Thank you, and God Bless!
Boys & Girls Club of the Sioux Empire
At the Boys & Girls Club of the Sioux Empire, our mission is to nurture, educate, and enrich children and youth for lifelong success. We proudly serve nearly 1,800 youth across 21 locations throughout the Sioux Empire, providing safe spaces, caring mentors, and opportunities that make a lasting difference. With the help of generous supporters like you, kids across the Sioux Empire are given opportunities they might never experience otherwise - safe spaces to learn and grow, mentors who believe in them, and programs that open the door to a brighter future. Fundraising is at the heart of how we make this possible. Every gift helps us say "yes" to more children and ensures they have the tools and encouragement they need to thrive. We would be honored if you would consider supporting our organization. By giving, you're not only standing behind our mission - you're directly investing in the lives and futures of kids right here in our community.
To learn more about or organization, please visit our webpage at https://bgcsiouxempire.org
(Please click on the LET'S GO button to the left to pledge your donation). Thank you.
Fishing For Families
FishingFor Families is a non-profit organization that hosts a day of fishing for foster children and their families at a lake in eastern South Dakota. Money raised is used to provide rods, reels,
t-shirts and other gifts to the children to take home after the event. Lunches, snacks, refreshments and great memories are all provided at no-cost to the families! Local top-notch anglers donate their time, equipment and expertise to make sure the kids and families have a great time on the water.
To learn more about our organization, please visit our Facebook page by clicking on the Facebook icon to the left.
(Please click on the LET'S GO button to the left to pledge your donation). Thank you.
Ronald McDonald House
Charities of South Dakota
Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Dakota gives families with sick children what they need most - EACH OTHER.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Dakota offers families a safe, welcoming place to stay, complete with the comforts of home, at no cost while their child receives care at a nearby medical facility.
Family support is vital to a child's healing. That's why we're here; to ease stress and financial burden so families stay close to their child, their care, and each other when it matters most.
To learn more about our organization, please visit our webpage at https://www.rmhcsodak.org
(Please click on the LET'S GO button to the left to pledge your donation). Thank you.
Unbroken & Brave Foundation
The Unbroken & Brave Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting children, families, individuals, and veterans who are in need of care and hope. We provide support to those affected by chronic illnesses and mental health disorders, offering them a chance to heal and thrive.
To learn more about our foundation, please visit our webpage at https://www.unbrokenandbravefoundation.org.
(Please click on the LET'S GO button to the left to pledge your donation). Thank you.