Do It for Daron 3-pitch tournament raises money, awareness for youth mental health

Do It for Daron 3-pitch tournament raises money, awareness for youth mental health

This past weekend, the 11th annual Do It for Daron mixed 3-pitch tournament took place at Elwood Dale Park in Shawville from June 2-3. The tournament is a fundraiser for mental health research and education at The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, in memory of Daron Richardson. Richardson, whose family has extensive connections to the Pontiac area, took her own life in 2010 at the age of 14. Her family created the DIFD initiative to raise money for youth mental health care and educations, as well as facilitate conversations and a broader awareness of mental illness in the community.

The tournament in Shawville is just one of dozens of fundraisers and events affiliated with DIFD, and was started in 2012 by three family friends of Richardson’s, Kegan Keon, Hailey Murray and Bria Hearty. Keon spoke with CHIP 101.9 about the tournament’s backstory.

This year’s tournament was a little smaller than usual, featuring 11 teams. Though she didn’t have an estimate of how much this year’s event brought in, Keon said that they typically raise between $7,000 to $13,000 per year, and more than $100,000 all told.

Logs End were the winners in a tight final game, beating the Hitmen 14-10 in extra innings.

The full interview with Keon (2m20) is available here.