Much of the wake industry in Orlando turned out last Thursday to the newest Lazy Moon Pizza restaurant near downtown for a silent auction benefiting Ben Leclair. The auction featured dozens of items donated by a variety of wake manufacturers, as well as a lot of items from outside the sport. Riders really used their resources and connections to get unique things out there that would appeal to a wide variety of people – all in hopes of raising as much money as possible for Ben. To top it off, Lazy Moon also donated a portion of its proceeds from food and drink sales to Ben’s fund.

Kevin Henshaw and Jeff McKee address everybody at Lazy Moon to get the auction started

Kevin Henshaw and Jeff McKee address everybody at Lazy Moon to get the auction started

Cassidy Henshaw and Dylan Miller put in a lot of leg work to make the auction a success

Cassidy Henshaw and Dylan Miller put in a lot of leg work to make the auction a success

While the mood was upbeat, the sobering reality of why everybody was there couldn’t be ignored. It was especially touching when Ben’s dad, who came from Canada, gave a toast thanking everybody for their help, love, and friendship. Cheers erupted when Ben was able to FaceTime the crowd from Montreal. Just getting to see him made everybody feel better, despite the circumstances. The truth is injuries like Ben’s are a reality in a sport like wakeboarding, and they are never easy to deal with. But as they have in the past, these injuries also show the ability of a small sport to come together and help do big things. The items that sold raised over $10,000 to Ben’s fund, and the ones that didn’t will be used in an online auction that anybody can participate it. Stay tuned for details.

A touching moment came via a heartfelt toast from Ben's dad

A touching moment came via a heartfelt toast from Ben’s dad

T-Bash making sure he doesn't lose out on the items he wanted

T-Bash making sure he doesn’t lose out on the items he wanted

In the meantime, please continue to spread the word and help donate to Ben’s cause.

He has a long road ahead of him and needs all the help and support we can offer. Also, there is a golf tournament fundraiser taking place at Championsgate Country Club just south of Orlando. Set up by Parks Bonifay and Danny Harf, this will be a fun event to be a part if that will also really help Ben’s cause. 

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 Many thanks to all the companies and people who donated items for the auction, and a special thanks to Lazy Moon for hosting the event! #bensquad