Tailgate parties combine football and fund-raising

Jason Cowell and Jeff Steinke take on the Border Battle Bash Cornhole Boards.

Eugene Hieber

From Left: Barb Mann, Billy Mann, the event co-ordinator, with his grandmother Rita Pletcher and father, Rick Mann. The Border Battle Bash to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo: 19th annual celebration of the OSU/UM Rivalry, held in Maumee.

Local charities cashed in on Saturday's Ohio State-Michigan game with tailgate parties.

The OH-Varian Border Battle Bash at the Michigan Technical Resource Park in Ottawa Lake, Mich., netted $8,000 for the Ovarian Cancer Connection, according to event coordinator Zach Stewart of Off Contact Productions. The first-time event with giant television screens included a 50/50 cash raffle, squares game, corn hole toss, a TV raffle, a silent auction, and food from Abuelos Mexican Restaurant and Sidelines Sports Eatery.

The Ovarian Cancer Connection is a local organization for awareness, education, research, and financial assistance for survivors.

It also hosted the Ellen Jackson Ovarian Cancer Walk presented by Buckeye CableSystem at the University of Toledo Medical Center in honor of Ovarian Cancer Month in September. It was a moving experience for me, an ovarian cancer survivor, and the 750 participants, which included survivors and families and friends of those who lost their battle with ovarian cancer.

Jerry Anderson of WTOL-TV, Channel 11 and FOX Toledo was the emcee, in honor of his sister Jeannie Wingate, an ovarian cancer survivor. President Gini Steinke reported a net of more than $43,000.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Toledo 19th annual Border Battle Bash Nov. 16 at Parkway Place in Maumee raised about $50,000. Music, including the teams' fight songs, filled the air as 440 supporters munched on tailgate-style food, bought raffle tickets for numerous prizes, and shopped the cache of gridiron goodies in the silent and live auctions.

Jason Cowell and Jeff Steinke take on the Border Battle Bash Cornhole Boards.

The winner of the Ed Schmidt VW Car or Cash raffle was Michele Free, who took the cash.

Emcee Dan Cummins of WTOL-TV, Channel 11 welcomed special guests Eric Page and Kevin Koger. Mr. Page is a former Springfield High School quarterback and University of Toledo All-American and Mr. Koger is a former Whitmer High School and University of Michigan player.

Among the sponsors were Columbia Gas, Owens Corning, Meijer, BCSN, The Blade, WTOL, and Meyer Hill Lynch, which started the event in 1993 as a small tailgate office party.

Seen were Rob and Jeri Shick, Scott and Deanna Thompson, Dan and Denise Harvey, William Schachner, Ken and Tara Robinson, Susan Morgan and Pam Hersberger, Brian Epstein, James and Margarete Otting, and Jim and Jen Olivier.

Epilepsy Center's Annual Celebration Tailgate Party Nov. 15 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Perrysburg netted more than $8,000. Music, a silent auction, and tailgate foods were great. A corn hole tournament was won by Eric Stegman and Nick Razzoog. Among the 200 guests were Ray Arce, Mike and Martha Blair, Gretchen Esselstein, Sam and Phyllis Hammons, Cheryl Hardy, David and Kori Huffman, and Dennis Scher.

The Byrne Heatherdowns Business Association recently hosted a Tailgate for Toledo wine and beer tasting to benefit Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank. The event was held at Caper's Restaurant and Bar and raised $250 thanks to the 44 participants. Also, a portion of every case of Gallo wine sold was donated to a Taste of the NFL, a nonprofit organization to help end hunger via support of hunger relief agencies in America.