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</p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Bold','serif'">“Do it For Duffy” 5k and Silent Auction planned to raise money for former MSU baseball player</span></p>
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</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">A group of MSU fans and friends of Ryan Duffy is hosting a “Do it for Duffy” 5k Walk/Run and Silent Auction on Saturday, February 12, for the former Mississippi State University baseball player who was seriously injured last summer.</span></p>
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</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The “Do it for Duffy” 5k will begin at 8 a.m. on February 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 January 29. The event also features a 1-mile fun run for those ages 12 and under for an entry fee of $20.</span></p>
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</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The “Do it for Duffy” Silent Auction will be held during the annual MSU Baseball First Pitch Banquet at 4 p.m. on February 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.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p>
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</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The “Do it for Duffy” fundraising group encourages those interested in sponsorships or in donating to the Silent Auction to visit </span><span class="Hyperlink1"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><font color="#0000ff">www.doitforduffy.org</font></span></span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">. In addition to specific contact information for the race, silent auction, and sponsorships, the site contains the race registration form. </span></p>
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</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Duffy played baseball at MSU from 2006-2010. The power-hitting fan favorite suffered a life-altering injury while vacationing in Key West, Florida, 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, 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. </span></p>
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</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The group is working closely with baseball coach John Cohen and his staff to coordinate Silent Auction efforts at the MSU First Pitch Banquet with featured speaker Mitch Moreland, who played baseball with Duffy at MSU. </span></p>
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</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Contact Jennifer Prather at 662-418-0533 or [email protected] for more information on sponsorships </span></p>
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</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Jennifer Strunk at 662-523-2222 or </span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #000099; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">[email protected]</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> for more information on the Silent Auction. </span></p>
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</p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Bold','serif'">“Do it For Duffy” 5k and Silent Auction planned to raise money for former MSU baseball player</span></p>
</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></span></p>
</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">A group of MSU fans and friends of Ryan Duffy is hosting a “Do it for Duffy” 5k Walk/Run and Silent Auction on Saturday, February 12, for the former Mississippi State University baseball player who was seriously injured last summer.</span></p>
</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></span></p>
</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The “Do it for Duffy” 5k will begin at 8 a.m. on February 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 January 29. The event also features a 1-mile fun run for those ages 12 and under for an entry fee of $20.</span></p>
</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></span></p>
</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The “Do it for Duffy” Silent Auction will be held during the annual MSU Baseball First Pitch Banquet at 4 p.m. on February 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.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p>
</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></span></p>
</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The “Do it for Duffy” fundraising group encourages those interested in sponsorships or in donating to the Silent Auction to visit </span><span class="Hyperlink1"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><font color="#0000ff">www.doitforduffy.org</font></span></span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">. In addition to specific contact information for the race, silent auction, and sponsorships, the site contains the race registration form. </span></p>
</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></span></p>
</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Duffy played baseball at MSU from 2006-2010. The power-hitting fan favorite suffered a life-altering injury while vacationing in Key West, Florida, 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, 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. </span></p>
</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></span></p>
</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The group is working closely with baseball coach John Cohen and his staff to coordinate Silent Auction efforts at the MSU First Pitch Banquet with featured speaker Mitch Moreland, who played baseball with Duffy at MSU. </span></p>
</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></span></p>
</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Contact Jennifer Prather at 662-418-0533 or [email protected] for more information on sponsorships </span></p>
</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">or</span></p>
</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Jennifer Strunk at 662-523-2222 or </span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #000099; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">[email protected]</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> for more information on the Silent Auction. </span></p>
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