TOMAHAWK – The second annual Veterans Pool Tournament was recently held in the Tomahawk area, and the event supported the Never Forgotten Honor Flight (NFHF).
Tournament Director Misty Bergsrud explained that this year, the tournament was expanded to include more locations where teams could play. The tournament was divided into two divisions – North and South.
The North Division included Boomba Bar and Grill, The Loop Hole, Maday's Fish Trap Bar and Resort, Holly’s Bar and Grill, Tilted Loon Saloon, B’s Landing Bar and Billy Bob’s Sports Bar and Grill.
Cockatiels Bar and Grill, VFW Post 2687, American Legion Post 93, Strikers Tomahawk Bowl, Floyd’s Timber Tavern, Castaways Bar and Grill and Corner Pub made up the South Division.
The tournament featured 18 tables, 50 co-ed teams and more than 115 community sponsors.
Shawn Augustine and Auggie took first place in the North Division, followed by Gaile Weiler and Steven Kramer in second and Deb Timmons and Ken DeHart in third.
Dawn Streicher and John Teal took the top spot in the South Division. Tami Brost and Dan Kniprath placed second, and Lori Rogney and Mike Meinheit rounded out the top three.
Payouts totaled $1,500.00 with a 50/50 split, along with a side pot totaling $740.00.
Last year’s tournament raised $9,000.00 for NFHF. This year, a total of $30,000.00 was contributed to the Honor Flight, with $19,000.00 coming from the tournament and an additional $11,000.00 coming from community donations received by VFW Post 2687 over the past year.
This year’s Grand Champions, Auggie and Shawn Augustine, donated their $1,000.00 prize to NFHF.
Representatives from the tournament presented the donation check to NFHF on Friday, Dec. 6.
“My husband Joe Bergsrud and I, both veterans, along with Sadie Heitschmidt and our Tournament Director Ray Webie, could not be more proud of our community turnout and support,” Bergsrud said. “Words will never begin to describe how much this event means to me. Any contribution made to this tournament aided in what will be a massive step in a Vietnam veteran’s healing process. They sacrificed and endured things that we will never understand and came home to a welcoming I’ll never understand. Your contribution is making it possible for them to get the welcoming they should have received, and my team and I will always be deeply grateful for your role in making that possible. We can only continue to grow from here and continue chipping away at the waitlist number.”
Bergsrud noted that more events will be held in the future, which will detail how the community can continue to show support in welcoming veterans home following their return from their flight.
“It truly is an event that you’ll never forget,” Bergsrud stated. “Again, thank you for your support in being part of the healing journey of the people who sacrificed more than we will ever know. A huge thank you to those who helped make it a successful event. We have a ton of takeaways that we will continue to learn and grow from. Thank you to those who donated, shot in the tournament and purchased raffles.”
Bergsrud noted that the fundraising goal for next year’s tournament is $25,000.00.
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