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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! with you, Cornmunity newspaperl 8lOOoff SMARTPHON ES It's the phone you want, just $100 cheaper. Simple, right? TUCKERSMITH COMMUNICATIONS CO-OPERATIVE LTD. scan here for more details 0 i. 111 519.606.2211 1 www.tcc.on.ca 1 tcc@tcc.on.ca