Photo courtesy of Vestavia HIlls Rotary Club
Teams compete at the 2023 cornhole tournament put on by the Vestavia Hills Rotary Club and Vestavia Sunrise Rotary Club at the Vestavia Hills City Center. This year’s tournament is set for Aug. 10.
Community members will show off their bag-throwing skills to support local organizations during a cornhole tournament hosted by two local Rotary clubs.
The Vestavia Hills Rotary Club and Vestavia Sunrise Rotary Club will come together at the Vestavia Hills City Center on Aug. 10 at 2 p.m. for a cornhole tournament. This will be the third year for the tournament, said Kent Howard, who’s been a member of the Vestavia Hills Rotary Club for more than three decades.
Howard co-chairs the cornhole tournament, along with Lori Moler from Vestavia Sunrise, and said it was created as a way to better connect the Rotary clubs across the state.
“We’re a collection of more than 37,000 Rotary clubs around the world with more than 1.2 million members,” Howard said. “Everyone is on the same page: we want to make the world a better place, and that starts locally.”
The cornhole teams collect donations leading up to the tournament, and the teams that raise the most are rewarded with prizes from sponsors. The money goes to support Vestavia Hills first responders, the Children’s of Alabama critical care transport team, Vestavia student scholarships and student programs including math, debate and robotics.
“Coming together for a good cause is the best part for me,” Howard said.
About 30 teams compete each year, ranging from pairs of friends or family members to coworkers or classmates. Cornhole is something all ages can enjoy, Howard said, as the bags used are lighter than equipment used in games like horseshoes. Besides staying hydrated while playing, he encourages participants to have fun and not get stuck on one bad move.
“There’s always a chance to make up for a bad toss on your next one,” Howard said. “Don’t sweat it, and have a great time.”
Teams are separated into pools to compete, and the top two teams from each pool advance to the next single-elimination level.
“It feels a lot like March Madness,” Howard said. “People can come and watch and go to different restaurants to grab a drink and some food.”
The first-place and second-place winners of the tournament will flip a coin to decide which one will represent the Vestavia Hills Rotary Club and which will represent Sunrise Rotary Club in the statewide Rotary tournament, which will be held Aug. 17 at Otey’s Tavern in Crestline Village. Greenhalgh Insurance Agency won the tournament last year, and Speegle Construction came in second.
From church groups and businesses to community members, anyone who lives, works or worships in Vestavia is encouraged to participate, Howard said.
“Come out, have a great time and enjoy the community and the competition,” he said.
The deadline to sign up is Aug. 1 or when there are 32 teams, whichever comes first. There is a $50 registration fee. Register at vestaviarotary.org.
