It’s called Cornhole and is played everywhere; even televised on national networks such as ESPN, college campuses, neighborhood bars, social and fraternal clubs and in people’s backyards, just to name a few.

Last Saturday, the Oakland Beach Volunteer Firemen’s Club held its first-ever cornhole tournament that was a smash success and will benefit two important charities – the Gianna Cirella Memorial Foundation and PANCAN - and featured 16 two-player teams, 42 raffle prizes, a chicken dinner and turned into an extraordinary event that will be back again next year.

“Everybody had F-U-N!” exclaimed chairman Bob “Bubba” Hazelwood who also coordinated the OBVF’s popular 8-week Wednesday Night summer league. “We had lots of support, and we took in $3,100 that will benefit the Gianna Cirella Memorial Foundation and PANCAN (Pancreatic Cancer organization) will receive $1,500 each.”

From the time people checked in inside the 100-year-old plus Fire Barn and enjoyed fun-filled competition as well as a Chicken Dinner cooked by Chef Merrill Leveillee, his father Moe and Rosa David, people’s generosity rang loud and clear whether it was placing raffle tickets into bags in hopes of winning valuable prizes, buying 50/50 tickets at a table manned by Marie Cavanaugh or enjoying a “pause for the cause” at the OBVF’s tiki bar.

When asked about the 42 raffle prizes – and two cornhole boards featuring the OBVF logo – ladies like Louis DeGaetano and Holly Swift emphasized: “We put the call out to our members, and they responded. We also had support from some of the distributors.”

Perhaps what was even more impressive, Hazelwood and many OBVF members explained, all 42 raffle prizes donated.

Which people like President Ron Manfredo, Jeff Swift, John “Diggs” DeGaetano, Hazelwood will tell you, “Has always been commonplace at the camaraderie filled club on Oakland Beach Avenue in Warwick.”

“We had a GREAT day,” said Hazelwood while announcing that Jay Almeida and Manny Saliva defeated DJ Kowalik and Christian Bica in the finals. Meanwhile, Hazelwood’s wife Kim and their son Bob finished third. “But everyone was a winner and helped support two important charities.”

The first was the award-winning Gianna Cirella Memorial Fund, named in honor the daughter of Stanley “Skip” Cirella and his wife Tara who succumbed to a battle with Sepis at age 16 and PANCAN in honor of Denise Cahoon Mattox, sister of OBVF member Deb Cahoon who lost a battle with Pancreatic Center.

Thus, “Team OBVF” recorded yet another super special success to its storied tradition such as the heartwarming and hospitality filled dinner that’s served at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter as well as its Friday Food Nights.