HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2015-06-03, Page 1010 News Record • Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Seaforth area family hosts annual ring toss tourney to raise funds for cancer research
Marco Vigliotti
Postmedia Network
Nick Van Dyk was only 19
years old when he passed
away from cancer in 2008.
Remembered as a perpet-
ually upbeat teen that cher-
ished his friendships and
had a sincere love for others,
his passing motivated his
extended family to contrib-
ute in whatever way they
could to efforts to combat
the deadly illness.
So, with Nick's memory
still burning bright, his fam-
ily turned one of his favour-
ite games into an unlikely
front in the fight to eradicate
childhood cancer, organiz-
ing an annual "Toss'em up
for Childhood Cancer" ring
toss (Texas Horseshoe) tour-
nament to raise funds for
crucial research on the
disease.
Now in its seventh year,
the event is set to return to
the Van Dyk's Seaforth acre-
age on June 6.
"(Nick) was always such
an athletic fellow and he
played that all the time when
we got together at functions,"
Marg Henderson, Nick's
aunt and one of the event's
organizers, said of the deci-
sion to set up the Texas
Horseshoe competition.
"It's been great because
it's a family event, and
there's the teenagers, the
parents and the grandpar-
ents. We usually have any-
where around 150 to 160
teams - and there's two peo-
ple per team."
All proceeds from the
friendly competition are
donated to the Coast -to -
Coast foundation, a regis-
tered Canadian based char-
ity that claims to be an
entirely volunteer -driven
group, which it says allows
all funds generated to go
directly to funding cancer
research.
In addition to the tourna-
ment, the event also features
a silent auction, door prizes,
and food and refreshments.
On average, the Texas
Horseshoe competition
raises about $15,000 to
$20,000 each year for the
charity, Henderson said,
with about $185,000 gener-
ated for Coast -to -Coast over
the past five years alone.
"It's been a great success
over the years, so we've just
continued to have it," she
told the Expositor.
For those unfamiliar with
Texas Horseshoes, the setup
is fairly simply. Players are
divided into teams of two
and attempt to toss washers
into three different holes on
a board.
Either one, three or five
points are granted depend-
ing on which hole the
washer lands in.
The entrance fee for the
kick
•• •
ring toss tournament totals
$40 and ensures each team
at least five games.
Although the competition
typically attracts over 350
participants, Henderson said
it also lures countless others
to stop by to soak in the fes-
tivities, enjoy a bite to eat or
place a bid in the silent
auction.
Among the items to be
auctioned off this year
include several gift certifi-
cates from local businesses,
rounds of golf at the Seaforth
course and even tickets to
see the Toronto Blue Jays.
"It's an open event, any-
one can attend, not just
those registered to play,"
Henderson said, encourag-
ing anyone interested to stop
by.
While the competition is
named in Nick's honour, it
has also sought to pay trib-
ute to a different young per-
son fighting the illness each
year.
As it has grown so too has
the list of those inextricably
linked with the event.
Organizers now also cite
the case of late Seaforth resi-
dent Kate Merner, who lost
her battle with osteogenic
sarcorna in February 2013.
Calling her "a ray of sun-
shine to anyone she met,"
organizers said Kate's posi-
tive outlook on life was "con-
tagious and her smile would
light up any room."
Much more than a fund-
raiser, the ring toss event
also aspires to serve as a liv-
ing memorial to those who
passed away from cancer
and to build support net-
works within the
community.
"We want to remember
those that we have loved and
lost - most notably Nick Van
Dyk, who this tournament
was founded in memory of,"
reads a section of the
competition's promotional
flyer. "We love that the day is
built around community and
being in the moment. It is a
time for people to connect
with friends and family,
which is life's best gift."
After a successful showing
in Seaforth, the event has
branched out, with another
edition held in Woodstock in
July.
If you're going:
Tournament Details:
Texas Horseshoe Tourna-
ment (aka Ring Toss)
Date: Starts at 1 p.m. on
Saturday June 6th.
Location: Van Dyk Farm
(42275 Mill Road, Seaforth,
ON)
Cost: $40/team (2 people
per team)
Registration Deadline: Fri-
day May 29th, 2015 with pay-
ment received Beer Tent,
Concession Stand, Door
Prizes, T-shirt Contest, &
Much More!
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