Contestants play cornhole, raise program funds
Dozens of people gathered at Michelle Krill Field at Historic Pullman Park on Saturday to take their best shot at cornhole bragging rights and toss in some money to help a therapy horse program.
Each year the Butler County Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Class picks a project to support. This year, members chose to raise money for an equine therapy program operated by Glade Run Lutheran Services in Zelienople where children and adults with mental disabilities and special needs work with horses for therapeutic purposes.
The arenas where the horses walk need repaired, according to Jordan Grady, the chamber's executive director.To fix the arenas, the leadership program decided to raise $30,000. The group had already raised more than $26,000 of the total. As of Sunday evening, event organizers estimated that they raised enough through the cornhole tournament to put them just over their fundraising goal.The money will be used to resurface two horse arenas and upgrade stalls for the nonprofit organization's therapy horses. The horses are ridden by children and adults with mental or physical challenges, and the program aims to teach participants trust, self-confidence, goal-setting and other concepts through therapeutic riding.“As a nonprofit, we often rely on the community for these kinds of things,” said Steven Green, Glade Run president. “I'm so thankful to the chamber and the leadership class. I consider these people my friends, and I couldn't be happier for the county, knowing these people will be leaders in our communities.”<iframe width="100%" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jf8nEsRx3WY?rel=0&showinfo=0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>To raise the funds, the Pullman Park Toss Cornhole Tournament entry fee was $30 per person and 24 teams of two competed for a first place prize of $800 in gift cards. The winner was the Voltz team from Raleigh, N.C., according to Seth Prentice, community marketing manager at Armstrong and a member of the leadership Class of 2019.With the game set up across the baseball field, Jennifer Signorino, a member of the duo called Kate's Crushers, began with a toss. “I think this is a great idea. I'm all about good cause fundraisers and raising money for kids,” Signorino said.
