A new animal welfare charity in Fayette will hold its first fundraiser this weekend. Solo’s Dream Catcher is hosting the Catching Dreams Catfish Tournament on Saturday night, with a fish fry on Friday.

Shelley Vogt launched the nonprofit charity earlier this year with the intent to help pet owners pay for veterinary bills. The inspiration came from Shelley’s own experience. Her beloved dog Solo, after whom the charity is named, suffered from epilepsy. Covering his treatments was at times costly. 

The idea began brewing after Solo passed away three years ago. The charity became a reality earlier this year.

“The purpose of this is to help pets,” Shelley said. Should a pet require an expensive procedure, for instance, the owner could submit an application to Solo’s Dream Catcher. If approved by the three-person board, some or all of the expense could be covered, and payment would be sent directly to the veterinarian.

What separates this from other similar charities is that Solo’s Dream Catcher will have fewer regulations, such as those regarding pets with preexisting conditions, Vogt explained. “I’m not concerned with your animal having a preexisting condition. I’m concerned with getting it the help.”

When Shelley was caring for Solo, she didn’t always have the money to pay for emergency veterinary visits and she didn’t qualify for help from other organizations because he had a preexisting condition. “The help just was not there. Some people have to euthanize their animals because they can’t afford a vet visit. I wanted to help people and I’m doing it in my dog’s memory.”

In order to provide such help, the charity needs to raise funds. This fishing tournament and fish fry is the first attempt at bringing in cash. She plans for the tournament to be an annual funding mechanism. The fish fry officially kicks off the weekend. It runs from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, June 25 at the St. Joseph Catholic Church Hall in Fayette. Dinner will cost $10 per plate with all the sides. Advance meal tickets are available, and meals can be served to go.

The dinner will feature live and silent auctions, raffles, a Calcutta Boat Auction, and live music by the popular Preston Ary Band.

All proceeds from Friday’s dinner will go directly to Solo’s Dream Catcher. 

The all-night fishing tournament begins at 2 p.m. All boats will be launched at that time from the Missouri River access at Stump Island Park south of Glasgow. The weigh-in will be at 9 a.m. on Sunday, although judges will be on call throughout the night. Winners will be determined by weight, and all fish must be alive at the time they are weighed.

Anglers may pre-register for the 66-hook tournament through the night of June 25. The cost to enter is $150 for teams of up to three people. Half of all registration money will be awarded to the first-place team, and 30% to second place. Twenty percent of registration money will go to Solo’s Dream Catcher. 

For questions or to register for the tournament, contact Travis Day at (660) 537-3546. To donate to the auction, contact Shelley at (660) 537-5049, or Becky at (660) 651-7270. All donations are tax-deductible. More information may be found at the charity’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SolosDreamCatcher.