June 12, 2010 - Oklahoma City
7th Annual Bricktown Blaze
5k Run and 1 Mile Fun Walk
2010 Bricktown Blaze Photos: Crimson and Clover Photo
2010 Bricktown Blaze Results: DG Productions
2010 Bricktown Blaze Sees Record Number of Participants
The Limbs for Life Foundation and the Oklahoma City RedHawks teamed up for a pair of fundraisers on Saturday, June 12, and raised enough money to provide assistance to 19 amputees in Oklahoma and the Dominican Republic.
The foundation’s annual 5k run, the Bricktown Blaze, had 747 participants, shattering the previous record of 556 runners in 2008. The proceeds from the race will be enough to provide prosthetic limbs to six Oklahomans in the next year. In seven years, the Blaze has now raised enough money to help 47 Oklahoma amputees.
“We were awestruck by how many runners we had this year,” said Craig Gavras, Limbs for Life’s executive director. “We can’t say, ‘Thank you,’ enough to all the people who braved the heat to help local amputees.”
After the participants finished on the field of AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, the foundation began its second fundraiser of the night, a jersey auction to benefit its Dominican outreach project. The RedHawks wore special red jerseys with sleeves inspired by the flag of the Dominican Republic and allowed fans to bid on them in a silent auction.
The auction, the third held by the RedHawks to help the Dominican, will help provide prosthetic limbs to 13 amputees. Infielder Chris Davis’ jersey brought in the most money, going for $310.
“It’s cheaper for us to provide a prosthetic limb overseas than in the United States because over there we use used components that have been donated to us,” Gavras said. “Here in the U.S., every prosthetic limb we buy for amputees is new.”
In three years, the RedHawks’ jersey auctions have raised enough to help 41 amputees through the foundation’s efforts in the Dominican.
“It was a pleasure to work with the Oklahoma City RedHawks to put on these two events,” Gavras said. “Because of their graciousness, a lot of people in need will get the chance to walk again.”