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BAILEY'S
TAKE ON PIRATE SPORTS
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From the
Anchor Desk
Tuesday,
May 10, 2011
By Brian
Bailey |
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Garrard continues to give
back
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David Garrard |
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(NFL.com image) |
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By
Brian Bailey
©2011 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
David Garrard is one of
those professional athletes who quite simply “gets it.”
Garrard knows that he’s
been blessed with a talent that enables him to make a great salary. He
also knows he’s in a position to help those who aren’t as fortunate.
That’s why Garrard first
formed his
David Garrard Foundation. His
foundation raises money for causes very dear to his heart. The David
Garrard Foundation was started to focus awareness, research and
education on breast cancer and Crohn’s Disease.
At the age of 14, David
lost his mother to breast cancer. That was the original idea for his
foundation. He still has vivid memories of her battle.
“They (the causes) are
dear to my heart,” said Garrard. “My Mom passed away from breast cancer
and this is a way for me to leave a legacy for her and her name. For all
she did as a nurse with the VA hospital. She took care of so many people
and us as a family. I just want to honor her.”
Garrard has his own daily
battle with a disease that he had never heard about until he was
diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in the spring of 2004.
Crohn’s disease is a form
of inflammatory bowel disease, which involves chronic inflammation of
the gastrointestinal tract because of an overactive immune system.
Many times the disease is
mis-diagnosed. Sometimes it is left untreated, and if that happens the
disease can be fatal.
“I wanted to defeat it,”
he said. “I couldn’t let Crohn’s take over my life. A lot of pro
athletes think they’re invincible. This brought me back to reality. It
gave me a gut check, literally.”
The Jacksonville Jaguars'
quarterback is gearing up for his first ever David Garrard Celebrity
Golf Classic to be held at the Greenville Country Club on June 27th. The
tournament will benefit
Beau’s Buddies in Greenville,
and David’s own foundation.
Beau’s Buddies is a
charitable organization whose mission is to enrich the lives of cancer
patients in Eastern North Carolina. The group describes itself as
“friends helping friends,”
All monies raised stay
local to help families fighting this devastating disease in Greenville
and eastern North Carolina.
The group is named in
honor of Hugh Parham "Beau" Stanley III, who was diagnosed on Nov. 17th,
2006, with High Risk Stage III Neuroblastoma. After fighting a long hard
battle, Beau earned his angel wings and went to Heaven on Nov. 29th,
2007.
Before the golf
tournament, David will be hosting a fishing tournament in which the
winners take home a couple of club seats for the 2011 football season.
That event is called “Fishing for a Cure” and will be held May 21st.
The first ever David
Garrard Celebrity Golf Classic will feature a dinner auction on June
26th, followed by the golf tournament the next day. Garrard says his
golf game is getting better.
“I’ve gone from really bad
to bad,” said Garrard. “Then I’ve gotten a little better where I feel
like I can keep it in play.”
One of the last times
Garrard played in Greenville, his wife Mary aced the par three, 8th hole
at Ironwood.
The first three members of
Garrard’s team that day hit terrible shots.
Mary Garrard then stepped up, hit her shot on the front of the green,
and the group watched it roll in for the hole-in-one.
The list of celebrities
certainly has a “Pirate” feel to it.
Fellow pro-bowl Chris
Johnson is coming back to Greenville to support Garrard. C.J. Wilson and
Jay Ross from the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers are also
scheduled to play. Free agent pro bowl fullback Vonta Leach is also in
the field along with recent Dallas Cowboys draftee Dwayne Harris.
Former Pirate greats Tony
Collins and Jeff Blake will also be in town for the event. PGA golfer
Will MacKenzie, who is from Greenville, will play and promises to bring
a couple of his friends from the PGA tour.
Several great items for
sports fan will be a part of the auction. Super Bowl tickets for two
with accommodations will be up for grabs. You could also purchase a spot
to fish with David in his annual fishing tournament next year.
It’s all for the greatest
of causes.
“I just want to invite
everyone out to help us with these causes,” said Garrard. “It’s going to
be a lot of fun!”
The registration fee for
Fishing for the Cure is $350 for a general entry and $500 for a premium
entry in both inshore and offshore categories. Each entry includes two
tickets to the MVP Party. The Premium entry also includes a nice
captain's bag, an autographed football and two tournament t-shirts.
BB
E-mail Brian Bailey.
Brian Bailey Archives
07/12/2011 01:30 AM |
Replay
Monday night's Brian Bailey Show
featuring guests DAVID GARRARD,
JEFF BLAKE,
BONECRUSHER
SMITH, DR. JOHN GIBBS and BEN
PARROTT. Eastern North Carolina's longest running
sports radio call-in show airs each Monday
night at 7 p.m. on Pirate Radio 1250 and
930.