A letter from the Jack Drury Memorial Dirt Bowl founder:

Hello,

My name is Joey Wentworth, and I am the Founder of the Jack Drury Memorial Dirt Bowl—an annual flag football tournament dedicated to raising funds for youth mental health. I started the Dirt Bowl after a close friend of mine lost his life to suicide in 2017.

Jack was an incredibly passionate football player and a dedicated member of the SDSS Royal's Football Team, which I have the honor of coaching for the past 9 years. In order to honor his legacy, we organize this annual football tournament as a way to remember him and support youth mental health initiatives. Each year, we have been able to make a significant impact through the Jack Drury Memorial Dirt Bowl, raising over $55,000 since the inception of the event. This year marks our 6th year running this meaningful tournament. We are proud to allocate the majority of the proceeds to WES for Youth Online, an organization dedicated to offering free and professional online counseling to youth in need. Additionally, we contribute a maximum amount of $4,500 to the SDSS Royals Football Team, supporting their activities and development.

I am excited to announce that this year's event will take place on Saturday, August 12. The tournament will be held at the SDSS football field in Port Elgin, Ontario, providing a fantastic venue for the games and festivities. Additionally, we have planned the official after-party at the Port Elgin Curling Club, where attendees can continue the celebration with live music, guest speakers, games, and more. A significant portion of our annual fundraising success comes from our silent auction items. Today, I am reaching out to you to inquire if you would be interested in donating an item to our silent auction. Your contribution to the auction would make a tremendous difference in our efforts to raise funds for youth mental health. I have attached some criteria for the types of items we are looking for, but we truly appreciate any donation you can provide.

If you choose to donate an auction item, we will be more than happy to assist you in any way possible, including handling logistics and making arrangements for the item's inclusion in the auction. If you have any further questions about the event or the silent auction, please do not hesitate to contact me at your convenience. You can reach me via email at memorial.dirtbowl@gmail.com. I am available to provide any additional information or address any concerns you may have.

Thank you for considering our request and for your potential contribution to the Jack Drury Memorial Dirt Bowl. Your support will play a vital role in improving the lives of young individuals facing mental health challenges.

Warm regards,
Joey Wentworth
Founder, Jack Drury Memorial Dirt Bowl
memorial.dirtbowl@gmail.com