The Dallas County High School Parent Teacher Organization is putting on a bass fishing tournament Oct. 12 at the Selma Marina that will give boaters a chance to win some major prize money while helping the school get back some of the funds it has lost.

“I’ve been in the Dallas County system now for seven years and in seven years we have lost 40 percent of our budget,” said Dallas County High School principal Michael Blair. “You are talking about taking away 40 percent of your money to run the school — not teacher supplies like paper or ink — but things we need for the kids.”

Blair said the money raised from the tournament will go to all areas of the school. For instance if a teacher needs something for a smart board or the choir needs help traveling somewhere, the money would be used to help in those areas.

“It is for whatever needs the children have,” Blair said. “It doesn’t go to anybody except the kids. Every dime.”

When the PTO started trying to determine a fundraiser that would help out, they wanted to get away from common fundraisers you see. So PTO president Dr. Frances Kendrick, along with the help of vice-president Monique Brech, decided a bass fishing tournament was a unique, yet fun way to raise money to help the school.

“It is in line with our homecoming weekend at school,” Kendrick said. “They will have their Friday night homecoming dance and at 4 a.m. we will be out at the Marina signing boats up for people to come out.”

The tournament, which is being sanctioned by Bass Cat, will start at daylight and run through 3 p.m.

The winner of the tournament will win $1000, with second place earning $500 and third place taking home $300.

If the winner of the tournament is driving a Bass Cat boat, extra prize money will be awarded, but that amount will be determined by the number of boaters that show up for the tournament.

There will also be a big fish pot, which boaters can enter for $10.

“If 100 people show up and everyone puts $10 in the big fish pot, if you catch the biggest fish and the fish that weigh the most and you are fishing in a Bass Cat boat you could walk away with $3,000,” Kendrick said.

The entry fee for the tournament is $100. A total of 29 sponsors, including Brech Marine and Supply, have helped the tournament raise the prize money.

“I don’t know that we could have had this fishing tournament without the support,” Kendrick said of all of the sponsors that have chipped in.

Those interested in participating can log onto dallask12.org to download an entry form, or go by Valley Creek Veterinary Hospital, Rountree Outdoors, or Brech Marine and Supply to pick one up.