Everglades Boats teamed with Fishing For Muscular Dystrophy, an organization strategically aligned with the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Muscular dystrophy is a degenerative and incurable disease that affects mostly boys and men. There are many types of MD, all stemming from genetic mutations that affect how the body grows, repairs and regenerates muscles. At this time there is no cure.

Paul Robertson, a businessman who was diagnosed with Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy 15 years ago, founded Fishing For Muscular Dystrophy. Never letting the disease slow him down, Robertson has focused his entrepreneurial spirit on finding a cure for Muscular Dystrophy Association.

After reaching out to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Paul drew up plans for a competitive fishing team whose efforts would fund research for MD.

Everglades was quick to jump on board, providing a 435cc for the team to use at 15 multi-day offshore tournaments along the Eastern Seaboard and Gulf Coast this year. The FFMD team opened the competition season aboard the Everglades 435cc at the Jimmy Johnson National Billfish Tournament earlier this month in Key Largo, Fla., finishing sixth among 31 boats.

The FFMD team also will appear at six boat shows and three MDA camps. By the end of the year, the FFMD plans to add two more teams for saltwater in-shore and freshwater bass fishing tournaments, each led by a man or woman living with a muscular disease.

Private contributions, sponsor donations and tournament winnings will be donated directly to the MDA. The expected annual donation is $1 million.

“Teaming up with FFMD was a no-brainer for us,” Everglades sales and marketing vice president Bryan Harris said in a statement. “Our success allows us to give back to the community, and there is no person more deserving than Paul … and no organization better fitting for us than FFMD. With Paul leading the charge, we knew the partnership would be fast-moving and rewarding.”

“Everglades was a natural choice for our cause,” Robertson said. “Their 43-foot boat is fully rigged and ready to take on the competition — just what we need to bring in a big haul. FFMD will be donating to MDA 70 percent of our annual operating surplus received from private and corporate donations and 50 percent of our tournament winnings. These proceeds will be going to MD research. Winning is everything.”