31 Jan 2023 Arkansas Duck Derby flies high

Posted at 6:41 PMh in Sports by

The 4th annual Arkansas Duck Derby grossed more than $475,000. The funds raised are designated for the Conway Regional Health Foundation and the Men’s Health Initiative, which is a comprehensive program that uses wellness tools, screening programs and disease prevention counseling to empower and educate men to take control of their health and wellness.

“In a recent study, the average man was defined as living in poor health for the last nine years of his life,” said Thad Hardin, MD, co-chair of the Arkansas Duck Derby. “So not only is his wife or family going to outlive him, but they are also going to have to take care of him for nine years, and that is not a burden that men should place on their family and friends.”

National Convenience Solutions had the winning team, which included Casey Bisek, David Geary, Bobby McNey and Drew Payne. Their team guide was Jon Ross Henderson with First Security Bank.

Thirty-three teams entered the Arkansas Duck Derby, and nearly 900 people attended the banquet that evening. “The 4th annual Arkansas Duck Derby will impact our community’s health far beyond Conway, Arkansas,” said Maegan Dyson, chief development officer of the Foundation. “We could not have done this without the support of our partners and sponsors, Conway Regional staff, volunteers and the hunters and landowners who participated.”

The fundraiser kicked off with a hunt early Friday morning on Jan. 6. Teams brought their ducks to C2 Powersports that afternoon, then dice were rolled at a pre-banquet reception to determine the point value of each duck species hunted.

The day ended with the Duck Derby evening banquet at the University of Central Arkansas HPER Center. The final dice were rolled to determine the winners. The night included food and drinks, live music, silent and live auctions and a raffle for a 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 4×4 that was valued at $20,000 and was customized for duck hunting.

“Conway Regional is accountable to the communities we serve, and the funds raised will help educate, empower and create access for men to prioritize their health needs.” said Matt Troup, president and CEO of Conway Regional Health System.

The Foundation was established in 1996 to provide financial support to Conway Regional to aid the health system in carrying out its mission of providing excellent health care for the Central Arkansas area. As a non-profit hospital, all revenues are invested back into Conway Regional.