MISSISSIPPI STATE -- One north Mississippi family turned tragedy into an opportunity to bring happiness to the lives of terminally ill children nationwide when they deferred money intended for them to the Catch-A-Dream Foundation, based at Mississippi State University.

Anthony Lucas was a French Camp police chief who was slain in the line of duty in 2005. Friends and fellow law enforcement officers organized the Anthony Lucas Memorial Golf Tournament to raise money in his memory. The proceeds of the first year paid for a monument to commemorate his life.

This year, Penny Lucas, Anthony’s widow, asked that all future proceeds be given to the Catch-A-Dream Foundation. Organizers raised $12,000 in June, enough to sponsor outdoor adventures for four terminally ill children.

“We want the proceeds to go to help families,” Lucas said. “It will give Catch-A-Dream a chance to do something for these kids.”

Catch-A-Dream is a national organization, similar to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Catch-A-Dream was founded in 2000 to grant once-in-a-lifetime outdoor experiences to children 18 years old or younger who have life-threatening illnesses, meeting needs that Make-A-Wish no longer addresses. To date, it has granted hunting and fishing adventures to more than 200 children in 43 states.

Marty Brunson is the director of the foundation. In a ceremony July 31, he thanked the family for their generosity in sharing this gift with others.

“What you’ve done is far more than designate some proceeds,” Brunson said. “You chose to invest these resources in his memory.”

Andrew Martin, a federal probation officer with the U.S. District Court in Aberdeen, helped organize the golf tournament.

“Anthony was an avid outdoorsman, and he would want the money donated to help improve the quality of life for a kid,” Martin said.

For more information about the Catch-A-Dream Foundation, visit http://catchadream.org/.