 "Photo: Photo courtesy MU Sports Information Department")
Former Marshall University and New England Patriots receiver Troy Brown will be honored with a celebrity roast Thursday, March 6 beginning at 7 p.m. at the Pullman Plaza Hotel in Huntington.
The event is sponsored by Hospice of Huntington and will kickoff with cocktails at 6 p.m. followed by an evening of honor and tribute to Brown.
"More than anything it's just an opportunity for people in this community not only to support Hospice of Huntington but also to pay tribute to a degree to Troy Brown who is very beloved in this community and does a lot on behalf of other organizations as well," Hospice Director of Development and Community Relations Shelly Betz said.
Tickets for the roast are $250 per individual but $200 of the price is tax deductible and is considered to be a donation to Hospice of Huntington. All of the proceeds acquired at this event will fund the Hospice benefit 'Camp Good Grief' which helps children ages 8-16 cope with the loss of a loved one.
"It's really going to be a special night for Troy Brown. The great thing about this fundraiser is that it benefits a very worthwhile cause. Since 1994 (Hospice) has hosted a bereavement camp for children who have lost a loved one and the proceeds from this event will support our Camp Good Grief held in late June. We offer that free of charge to the children out at Asbury Woods Camp and Retreat Center. We are able to do that through the generous support of the community and our fundraising efforts so that we don't have to charge these families to help kids through their grief journeys. It's a perfect tie-in with Troy because he really believes that children are the future and when there's an opportunity to help a child, Troy Brown is probably one of the first people to get on board with that," Betz said.
The master of ceremonies for the event is former Marshall Head coach Sonny Randle, whose experience in roasting hasn't gone unnoticed.
"Sonny has done a number of roasts of various people in the community and the football world and he's a very funny guy. He can find a joke where others might not be able to, so we are really looking forward to bringing him back home here to Huntington. I know he did one for Dick Vitale a number of years ago and there have been other people throughout the university system, whether they were coaches or former coaches, that he's been the lead emcee for because he had a radio show at one point. There might even be some surprises for Sonny. There's Carl Lee former Marshall and Minnesota Vikings player is going to be attending as well," Betz said.
Aside from Betz, Troy's wife Kim Brown has been a contributor to organizing this event and making sure her husband was able to set time aside for this opportunity even though she contributes a lot to many organizations aside from her personal life.
"I am a great juggler; I have a lot on my plate and I work full time. I have the kids most of the time. When Troy's playing football I'm responsible for a nine year old and a seven year old and they're very active in sports and school activities. I think (the roast) a wonderful opportunity for Hospice and it's a great fundraiser. More importantly I think it's a wonderful tribute to Troy and all that he's meant to this community to showcase what a wonderful person he is," Kim Brown said
Among the invited roast guests are some former Marshall University football players Chad Pennington, Mike Bartram, Byron Leftwich and Randy Moss. There will also be a sit-down dinner and music provided by the Bob Thompson Trio.
For more information or ticket reservations, visit www.hospiceofhuntington.org or by calling (304) 529-4217 or 1-800-788-5480 for details.
Andrew Damron can be contacted at damron47@marshall.edu.
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