Friends of Mental Health Hosting Ping-Pong Tournament in Evansville This Spring

At some point in time, everyone has played ping-pong in their life. Chances are you have a friend or a relative who still has a table set up in their basement or garage. It may see more time as a place to set things on than it does its actual purpose but every once in a while someone will grab the paddles and a couple of ping-pong balls from a nearby drawer and it's game on. It's not the easiest game to play, but it is fun, and practically anyone can do it regardless of their athletic ability. And on April 30th, it will also be the star of a new fundraiser for the Friends of Mental Health in Evansville.

The River City Rally will take place at the Bally's Evansville Pavillion on the downtown riverfront (formerly Tropicana) and will feature more than just everyone's favorite tabletop game.

The day will begin at 9:00 AM with the "1 in 5K" run/walk. According to Becky Glines, Communications Director with Southwestern Healthcare, the race name comes from the fact that "1 in every 5 Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year." Registration for the walk will be $30 if done by April 1st. The fee increases to $35 after that.

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The race will be followed by the Riverfront Rally Ping-Pong Tournament from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM and will feature several tables. The event is free to attend if you simply want to watch, and paddles will be available for purchase if you're interested in playing. Free Play will be available for anyone just looking to have some fun and enjoy the game, while the more competitive players can register to compete in the tournament for the chance to win a pair of passes to the final portion of the event, the Ping-Pong Ball. This black-tie affair beginning at 6:30 that evening will feature food and a live auction, and will be hosted by Ange Humphrey, host of Lifestyles on ABC 25.

Tickets for all three events will go on sale March 1st through the River City Rally website.

For more information on the Friends of Mental Health, visit their website, and check out the video below.

[Sources: Friends of Mental Health / River City Rally]