While some fisherman will come with their nets and lines hoping to make the year’s biggest catch, Sav-A-Life Selma Dallas County seems to already have caught one big grand prize — an overwhelming response from more than 65 local businesses who have signed on to sponsor their fundraiser.

Sav-A-Life Selma Dallas County ministers to young women who are pregnant and in need of supplies, counseling and even just someone to listen.

Steve Craig, a local business owner, organized the Sav-A-Life Bass Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 23 to help with the organization that solely relies on fundraisers to help the community.

Craig said entry forms can be found at Rountree Outdoors, Steve’s Service Center, The Store in Valley Grande, Headz Outdoors in Camden and McNider Marine in Thomasville. The cost is $100 per boat to enter the tournament with the chance to win $2,000 as the grand prize.

When asked if he had a goal as to how much money he wanted to raise, Craig said he would “leave that up to the Lord.”

“We initially wanted to raise $1,500 just to guarantee the winner that much,” Craig said, who has already raised $9,500 in company sponsorships. “It has been a blessing just to watch the sponsorships come in. With times like they are and the economy like it is — if someone told you that you wanted to do a benefit, a charity fishing tournament for Sav-A-Life, that you could raise $9,500 — you would tell them they are crazy and it couldn’t be done.”

Craig said out of the 65 businesses they have visited asking for sponsorships, they have not received a “no” from one business. He hopes the turn out for the tournament will be just as great.

“We have put flyers out from here to Camden to Millers Ferry, to Demopolis to Linden, Clanton, Montgomery and Prattville,” Craig said. “I’m not going to be surprised the way God has opened hearts and pocketbooks. If we have 100 boats show up, I’m just going to look up and say ‘thank you Lord,’ and it will not surprise me one little bit.”

Jennifer Dobbs, director of Sav-A-Life said the company sponsorships for the tournament have been integral in the tournament as well as for their ministry.

“We use the money to be able to give free pregnancy testing to the clients and to be able to offer them parenting classes and nutrition classes,” Dobbs said. “We also give them baby items with the points they earn going to the parenting classes.”

Sav-A-Life offers abstinence programs for local schools and youth groups, fatherhood and motherhood classes and counseling.

Dobbs said the center saw 151 women for pregnancy tests in 2012. Of those women, 17 went into the pregnancy considering abortion — after counseling 14 of those women did not terminate their pregnancies. The center saw 89 visits for parenting classes, 17 men for fatherhood classes and 74 salvations last year.

“That means we have 14 babies here in the community because of the ministry,” Dobbs said.