Third-Year Binks Fun For Addiction Awareness Raises Its Own Bar

Had 23-year-old Travis “Binks” Binkley not died from a fentanyl overdose in 2019, he would have celebrated his 30th birthday in April. That is a hard fact for his father, Kurt, to accept. The senior Binkley has the forever-broken heart of any parent who loses a son or daughter.

Complete healing isn’t possible. The 59-year-old independent trucking business-owner in North Carolina, who started the Binks Fun Run For Addiction Awareness three years ago, knows that and deals with the loss as best he can.

Vermonters Chris Fisher and Christy Foote tackled the Binks event for the third time. Photos by Jeff Helmkamp copyright Helmkamp Photos.

“I continue to hurt every day,” Binkley said, his soft voice cracking. “But I have to honor that because my son meant so much to me.”

The third annual event on Lake Norman ended yesterday with more than $50,000—and still counting—reaped for the cause of raising addiction awareness. Those monies will go to Statesville, N.C.-based Restoration Road Ministry, Inc.

Lake Norman doesn’t lack for well-kept Fountain V-bottoms.

Though the event had a nominal entry fee for the first time this year, most of the funds were raised during the Friday night welcome party and auction, plus additional donations, at Midtown Sundries restaurant in Denver, N.C. More than 150 guests packed the house for the celebration and auction, which included auction items from providers Jeff Hart, Chad Walton, CVA Innovations and more.

The outdoor display in front of the venue featured wicked go-fast hardware, not the least of which was Upstate New York participant Kelly O’Hara’s renovated and repowered MTI RP 40 catamaran and a 2,500-hp, Cummins diesel-engine equipped drag-truck brought by McCoy Black and Andrew Morrison of MB Diesel Performance in Gold Hill, N.C.

An impressive array of hardware commanded the lunch-stop location.

“We blew it out of the park—and money is still coming in,” Binkley said, then chuckled. “The number on the check we presented during lunch was a little premature as I didn’t give Amber Steele, who handles all of the event’s accounting, our pledge information.

“We lost a couple locals with the entry fee, which was something Chad Shutter of BRP Marine Custom and I worried about when we decided to add one,” he continued. “But what we gained were people dedicated to supporting the charity. I couldn’t believe what they were willing to do, how generous they were.”

Returning participant Chad Werab ran his sizzling 39-foot Dragon sportboat.

Indiana’s own Kiran Pinisetti, who piloted the Cowboy & Indian DCB Performance Marine M37R he co-owns with O’Hara in the run, experienced the event for the first time. He left impressed.

“It was a great time—for a great cause—with an intimate group of boaters who are like family,” Pinisetti, who was joined by Rock The River Cincy event organizing team-member Patrick Feldhaus, explained. “We were thrilled to see that they doubled the money they raised from last year.

Enjoy more images from last weekend’s happening in the slideshow above.

“And the hospitality from the Shutter family and BRP Marine Custom was top notch,” he added.

Said three-time event participant Chris Fisher of Vermont, who was joined in his own DCB M37R catamaran by his longtime girlfriend Christy Foote, “The third time was a charm for a great event that helps prevent bodily harm. It was a seamless, beautiful day, and thanks to everyone’s efforts we raised more than $50,000.”

Forget the number on the jumbo ceremonial check—the final amount of money raised for the charity will be north of $50,000.

Saturday’s five-stop, 100-mile-ish run saw 45 registered boats tackle Lake Norman ahead of an outdoor lunch in the backyards of waterfront homes owned by Todd and Ashley Sterchie and Scott and Michelle Ross. The EmberCraft Fusion food-truck crew, which fed volunteers in the Black Mountain and Asheville areas following last year’s devastation in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, catered the meal.

Binkley’s longtime love, Misty Carver stayed off his 35-foot Donzi V-bottom for the run and helped keep things moving on land through lunch. She also was instrumental, her boyfriend emphasized, in keeping track of donations and organizing the Friday night auction and Saturday lunch.

Based on his experience this weekend, Binks Fun Run participant Kiran Pinisetti plans to return next year.

“Missy really came through in the clinch,” he said. “She’s kind of like my ‘event director.’”

The event ended with a raft-up on Lake Norman. All but a few event boats participated.

It was the perfect finish to a flawless day.

“I don’t pretend to know how to save people, because if I did I would’ve saved my son,” Binkley said. “But I can help those people who know how to save them by funding them through my charity event.”

On and off the water, O’Hara’s BRP Marine Custom-updated 40-foot MTI catamaran added value to the event.

He paused for a moment, then continued.

“This isn’t ‘my’ run or ‘Chad Shutter’s’ run, it’s my son’s run,” he said, his voice cracking again. “This is about him. I don’t ever want to let it go. I don’t ever want to forget him. Doing this honors him.

“I feel like he is standing right behind me, with his arm around my shoulders, saying, ‘Good job, dad, thank you,’” he added. “At least I hope he is.”