Do It for Duffy 5K Run/Walk, silent auction set for Feb. 12
January 23, 2011
For the Daily News
A special fund-raiser will be held to help a former Mississippi State University baseball player who was seriously injured last summer.
MSU fans and friends of Ryan Duffy are hosting a “Do it for Duffy” 5k Walk/Run and Silent Auction on Feb. 12, to help off-set expenses related to a life-altering injury he received on vacation last August.
The “Do it for Duffy” 5k will begin at 8 a.m. on Feb. 12 in the parking lot of the Palmeiro Center on the MSU campus.
The entry fee of $30 includes a “Do it for Duffy” t-shirt for those who register before Jan. 29. The event also features a 1-mile fun run for those ages 12 and under for an entry fee of $20.
The “Do it for Duffy” Silent Auction will be held during the annual MSU Baseball First Pitch Banquet at 4 p.m. on Feb. 12.
Businesses and individuals are asked to donate items to be auctioned during the banquet, and all proceeds from the auction and banquet will go to the Duffy family to support Ryan’s ongoing medical and rehabilitation needs.
The “Do it for Duffy” fund-raising group encourages those interested in sponsorships or in donating to the Silent Auction to visit http://www.doitforduffy.org.
In addition to specific contact information for the race, silent auction, and sponsorships, the site contains the race registration form.
Duffy played baseball at MSU from 2006-2010. The power-hitting fan favorite suffered a life-altering injury while vacationing in Key West, Fla. last August.
Duffy broke his neck in multiple places, causing paralysis below the neck and ventilator-assisted breathing.
After an initial stay in an Intensive Care Unit in Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Fla., Duffy was transferred to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Ga., for extensive rehabilitation and training.
He was released in December to begin the long journey of continued rehabilitation and further healing at home.
For more information about Duffy and how to help, go to http://www.doitforduffy.org.
