BROOKINGS Cornhole players are invited to throw a few bags while helping a good cause during a fundraiser on April 12 to benefit a family displaced by a house fire last month. Saul Reyes is organizing the event and said theyll hold registration at 1 p.m. at the Brookings Inn, 2500 Sixth St.
Were doing a cornhole fundraiser. So basically it will be $40 a team, $20 per person, Reyes said. Besides the tournament itself, we are going to have raffles and silent auction items. Theres different businesses from the community that have donated gift cards or actual items to us. Were going to raffle those off. Then weve got some other friends and family who have donated bigger items and those are going to be in the silent auction.
Josh Waller, fiance Andrea Sanudo and four children escaped uninjured from a house fire at 217 Medary Ave. S. on March 13. Reyes and his wife are friends of the family and have been helping.
They ended up losing everything that was inside the house to fire and smoke damage. So we ended up taking them in that night, and weve been letting them stay at our house, Reyes said. I was friends with Josh Waller and my wifes actually been really good friends with (Andrea) probably longer than me and Josh have been friends. We met them at church GracePoint Church. I dont know how many years its been now. Im part of the Brookings Cornhole League, so I throw bags often. Josh also throws bag. So I know him from there, too.
Reyes said his house is flush with activity, but he and his family have been happy to help.
Theres some times where it gets a little hectic, but it feels good, he said. Theyre doing OK. At first it was pretty hard for them obviously. You lose all your belongings. Its all just memories and everything is gone. The only thing they had is whatever clothes they were wearing when they got out.
Reyes said given his and Wallers shared passion for cornhole, a tournament fundraiser seemed a natural fit.
Weve been doing (the Brookings Cornhole League) now for about three years. We do two leagues a year one in the summer, one in the winter, Reyes said. Its 8 weeks long, and we have two different divisions. We have a competitive division and then we have a social division. That way you dont get newcomers that come and have to play against people whove been playing for years. Then throughout the year, we have random blind draw tournaments. You show up, draw for your partner and dont know who youre going to get.
In addition to cornhole, Saturdays fundraiser features a free will meal and a cash bar.
We provide the food, and everyone can donate what they want, Reyes said. Everything goes to the Waller family. Then well do the beer sales too, and whatever beer gets sold the money goes to them, too.
Reyes encourages everyone to come out and play cornhole or just help a family in need.
Just show up the day of the event with a partner and your $40 per team. Theres also a GoFundMe. If you cant come, you can donate that way, Reyes said. This isnt just for competitive people. This is for any age, any people. It doesnt matter if youre a backyard-thrower or whatever. Anybody can come out and play. Its just about having fun and helping.
More information is at the Brookings Cornhole League Facebook page. The GoFundMe is at https://gofund.me/86e9f595.
Contact Jay Roe at [email protected].
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