Soldiers benefit from tourney
By Ty Hughes

On Saturday, May 19th, Coordinator Kelly Gries orchestrated an elaborate concoction of darts and donations specifically for the benefit of our troops at war.
Kelly and Wayne both were hoping for a positive response to the advertised event and weren’t disappointed come the day of reckoning. They signed up fourteen eager teams, each of which brought a sackful of provisions for the troops. These items ranged from toiletries to food to play toys to magazines. Mike popped in, dropped off several boxes of magazines and immediately slipped out the doors. Others provided donations and cash, thereby filling out the quota nicely.
Kelly was ecstatic with the response and conducted the dart shoot with great efficiency. Wayne and Dawn were on hand for the event, welcoming the players and engaging the crowd in lively conversation. Sean and Michelle of Harvest Darts made an appearance and appeared to be happy to be among friends.
Sean raffled off a set of Black Widow darts, raising an additional $150 to assist in the shipping of these items, after which, Boeing stepped up and guaranteed a UPS shipment and covering the associated costs. So, that $150 coupled with a benevolent donation of $300 by Wayne, along with the $100 plus dollars donated by the players will go to rounding out the donated items, making for an impressive collection effort in the end.
Kelly is including two cameras to the troops in hopes of getting some photos of life in the day of our beloved soldiers at war in Iraq. These pictures, when received, will be published exclusively right here in the Medallion – keep your eyes peeled for these!
Good times prevailed at 13th Ave Pub, when 28 shooters took to the boards, ceremoniously knocking each other out of the competition. Everyone was in good spirits, win or lose. In the end, Mike and Rich narrowly beat out Corey and Jen for the champion’s title, taking home $200 cash. Corey and Jen secured second place and $100. In third place it was Ish and Adam with a fine performance, stuffing $60 in their pockets for the evening.
Thanks to Kelly, Wayne and Dawn, Sean and Michelle and all the players for showing support for our troops who are enduring a living hell to assure our country’s status in the world. Whether you agree or disagree with the war, we can at the very least, proclaim our undying support of those young men and women who are dedicated to protecting us here at home.