Sportsman Banquet

Derby City spent last Thursday evening at the Sportsman Banquet held by First Baptist Church in Mount Washington.  We got to meet many old friends as well as many new faces.  David Blanton of Realtree was the speaker for the event.  His message was heartfelt and it touched many people in the audience.  He talked about how he let hunting take over his life and it almost cost him everything that was dear to him.  For a man to get up in front of a crowd of strangers and admit that he has made many mistakes in his life takes a lot of courage.  David’s faith in God is evident in how he talks to people and shares his testimony.  I hope there were several people in the crowd that prayed with David and accepted Christ that night.

I really enjoyed spending time with my friend Mitch Ensor that night as well.  Mitch has become a good friend to us at Derby City, myself especially.  If you ever want to see a man of strength, faith, courage, humility, and compassion, you have to look no further than Mitch.  His wife Kay, and his children Shelby and Tanner are wonderful.  They keep living life through the good and bad times, because that is what they do.  They don’t question God.  They just know that God has a reason for this.  A reason we may never know, but God does.  Keep the Ensors in your thoughts and prayers. 

ALS- “Hunting For A Cure” Banquet

Eric Sullivan, Matt Sullivan, Brent Stoner, and myself attended the “Hunting for a Cure” banquet on March 20th, 2010.  This banquet is a fundraiser for the Ky. Chapter of the ALS Association.  ALS stands for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease.  This disease affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, eventually leading to muscle weakness, twitching, and paralysis.  Mitch Ensor, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2006, wanted a way to raise money to help find a cure for this disease.  With help from his family, friends, and numerous sportsmen and women, Mitch began this banquet a few years ago to raise money for the ALS Association.

What a humbling experience this banquet was for all of us.  The generosity of everyone was amazing.  Without a doubt, there was a lot of money raised through games, live auctions and silent auctions.  However, it was the compassion and caring for others that struck me.  Sportsmen and women are incredible.  Whenever someone is in need, they are always the first to offer a hand.  Derby City will continue to help fight ALS with donations for future banquets.  The Ensor family opened our eyes to the struggles of fighting ALS, how to remain positive in times of adversity, and how to be proactive in the this fight.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mitch and his family.

I think the last line of Lou Gehrig’s speech about his diagnosis of ALS says a lot about his character.  He says, “So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for.”  I don’t know Mitch Ensor well, I met him for the first time at the banquet.  However, watching him throughout the evening, I believe he would say the same thing.

Mitch: keep fighting, keep hunting, keep believing.

-Jim Dawson, Derby City Game Calls

You can keep up with Mitch Ensor’s “Hunt for a Cure” by checking out their Facebook page.