For Hancock and Witt: Have You Adopted Your Rubber Duckies?

Think Ken-Ducky Derby, Miles for Moffitt and the service of cancer victims Justin Hancock and Dan Witt and you've got all you need to know about why the rubber duckies on sale at O'Brien's Irish Pub and Family Restaurant in Brandon and other participating establishments are fire-breathing hot.

"For anyone who has been touched by cancer as I have, this is the best way that I have found to give cancer a big sucker-punch in the face," said O'Brien's co-owner "Captain" Sean Rice. "And I promise you, it feels really good!"

The aim is straightforward, Rice said. "Let's fight for a world where cancer is a horrible memory and we never have to see anyone we love endure chemo[therapy]."

• See Mother Reflect's on Daughter's Fight With Cancer

O'Brien's walkers this year are dedicating their Miles for Moffitt race May 11 to Hancock and Witt, who died April 9 and April 18, respectively. They both were deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

• See Daniel Witt obituary
• See Deputy Justin Hancock Loses Cancer Battle at Age 33

"We are at 65 walkers, just 35 walkers away from our 100 walker goal," Rice said. "We've raised $12,000, so we are $8,000 short of our $20,000 goal.  I have humbly asked that each of our duckies encourage two friends to sign up, either as a walker or a virtual walker. What better way to pay it forward?"

To join the tam, visit: www.milesformoffitt.kintera.org/ofbrd. Online registration ends Sunday, May 5 at midnight. After that, the price to enter rises to $45 and you have to register in person. All registration fees count toward our $20,000 goal. Virtual walkers are accepted as well.

Meanwhile, there is one fundraiser left before the Miles for Moffitt walk: The Ken-Ducky Derby. Here's what you need to know about the May 4 fundraiser at O'Brien's:

• It runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at O'Brien's Irish Pub and Family Restaurant, at the corner of Kings Avenue and Lumsdent Road.

• Duckies can be adopted at both O'Brien's Plant City and Brandon, O'Toole's Irish Pub and Circles Restaurant  for $5.  If any are left, they can be adopted on the day of the event. They can also be adopted on our website at www.duckcancer.com

• Prizes: 1st place- trip to Hawaii;  2nd place- cruise to Bahamas; 3rd place- gas card.

• This year, we have added a "Corporate Race".  Businesses can purchase "corporate ducks" for $100 each.  The prize for this race is a happy hour at O'Brien's in Brandon for up to 20 employees.

• Businesses can also sponsor heats of the race. (blue ($250), pink ($500) and gold ($1,000). Sponsors can hang a banner at the Ken-Ducky Derby and celebration concert.  They will be featured with a clickable link on our www.duckcancer.com Web site.  Gold brings sponsorship of the derby's final heat.

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More to come.