Asking for Help for an Injured Player

[daytonajoe]

2 Weeks ago a member of my team was watching the Ladies tour at Barron's Billiards in Bradenton Florida. He got on his motorcycle and was heading home when he was involved in an accident with an elderly couple. They cut him off on US41 and he was airlifted to the St Petersburg hospital. To this day he is still in intensive care and is needing a ventilator to help him breath.

Jim Craft is 61 years old and was named the MVP of our Monday nite team. He is on a fixed income and receives only a disability check. He had a side job driving an elderly lady on her errands.

To help his family meet his bills I am planning a fund raiser to be held in early June, after the VNEA nationals. This event will consist of a local tournament that will be called the " B - Town Brawl " I will be challenging the players of Barron's and the Players of Art's Billiards to meet in 2 in house tourneys and then meet head to head for the finals.

The reason for this post is to ask my fellow AZ'ers for anything that they may contribute to these fundraising efforts in the form of pool related items to please drop me an email joecalnan@verizon.net .and I will provide more details

I am hoping to make this a way for Jim's family to see the support this community has for the person who I feel is like the brother I never had.

All contributions will be duly noted in the all releases and follow up posts, and will be forever remembered for their generosity.

Thank You
Joe Calnan

 

[daytonajoe]

98 reads and only 2 responses

Guys I have never asked for help like this and got the idea from a similar situation on the FGI web site ( golf) for an injured golfer.

Jim is the one person that would never ask for help, I have told his family I am going to put something together, and I will!!

If I have to raffle off my entire cue collection, I will raise some money to help them offset the bills other than the hospital bills that inurance will cover.

I would like to thank Joe Tucker and Don Purdy for so graciously stepping up to help. The tournament will only raise some much, so I am planning on a calcutta and raffles to raise some additional revenue.

If any of you have been hospitalized for any length of time, you would understand that the bill collectors do not wait for your recovery. I do not want this man's family to go throughthat. They have enough on their minds now with Jim looking at 3-6 weeks in ICU or untile he starts to breath on hos own. And then at least 6 months to a year or therapy.

If anyone has any ideas that I can use to help these efforts please send an e mail or a method of contact, and I will follow up.

Thank You,
Joe Calnan
Bradenton Florida
e mail to joecalnan@verizon.net

 

[daytonajoe]

update

This event will be finalized this weekend.

The plan is a 4 stop tournament with events at each of the 4 local hot spots, There will be 3 qualifiers with the top 8 advancing to the finals at the 4th venue. It will allow qualifing at several locations for the finals on the 4th week

Open to all entrants

Winner take all?? $1000. for a bar box tourney? $25. entry? that will include one $10. raffle ticket What are your thoughts?

Still looking for raffle prizes So Far I have Don Purdy, Joe Tucker, Murrey Tucker, and Willie cue with donations!

Please help this worthwhile event by contacting me at the above E mail

and If possible if you are member on other forums would you please post the above request. I have added to EPT and here on AZ

Thanks,
Joe