Golf tourney to benefit Seyfarth’s ride

Published 12:08 am Thursday, June 3, 2010

NATCHEZ — Oscar Seyfarth is going to attempt to travel over 7,000 miles across the country on a motorcycle, and his friends are trying to raise money for someone to help him along his way.

A fundraiser golf tournament for Seyfarth’s Hoka Hey Motorcycle Ride will take place a Duncan Park Golf Course Saturday.

The event is a four-man scramble and the registration fee is $60 per person, which includes a catfish lunch and door prize tickets.

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Tournament director Glen McManus said the tournament will raise money for a support vehicle to travel with Seyfarth along his journey.

“He needs to have a support vehicle to go along and make the ride with him,” McManus said. “The support vehicle can’t ride the same route as him, but it can meet him at checkpoints.”

There are several checkpoints along the route, but the riders will only be told the first checkpoint when they leave from Key West, Fla., at the start of the ride.

Each time they get to a checkpoint, they will be told where the next checkpoint is.

“The support vehicle can meet the rider at each checkpoint and give him supplies,” McManus said. “Or if the rider can’t continue, the support vehicle can go pick him up.”

McManus said he initially hoped the tournament would raise $1,000, but thanks to great community support, he has upped the goal to $2,000.

“With the support we’ve gotten from the community, we might be able to hit $2,000,” McManus said. “We’re expecting about 12 to 15 teams to participate. I don’t know how much it will take for a support vehicle, but we’re doing the best we can.”

Seyfarth, a Vietnam veteran, is competing in the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge, which supports numerous charities for war veterans and their families.

He is one of 1,000 riders competing in the 14-day challenge, which begins in Key West and ends in Homer, Alaska.

Riders can’t travel on interstates, only back roads, and can’t exceed the listed speed limit. They also must sleep with their bikes each night.

To register for the tournament or make a donation for the motorcycle ride, contact McManus at 601-446-5737 or Seyfarth at 601-807-1576.