ON THE TOWN

Smashing summer fun makes a splash

9/2/2018
BY BARBARA HENDEL
BLADE SOCIETY EDITOR
  • SOC-swim25p

    Wylie Fournier, 11, of Belmont Country Club, competes in the back stroke during a Swim Championship meet at Stone Oak Country Club on July 25.

    The Blade/Amy E. Voigt
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    • Summer is always so much fun, especially with outdoor activities including volleyball and swim team events. It’s Labor Day weekend, and even though the days are shorter, a few trees are beginning to show fall colors, and many schools are in session, summer is not over till Sept. 22. So enjoy the warm weather while it’s here.

    THE 27th annual Pollyball Tournament presented by the Hylant Family Foundation at International Park was a smashing time for the 650 attendees who helped raised more than $90,000, with funds still being accepted. The event, started in the name of Polly Hylant-Tracy, who lost her battle with cancer in 1990, benefits the YWCA of Northwest Ohio’s ENCOREplus Breast Cancer Awareness and Assistance Program.

    This year, Pollyball was dedicated to Bess Tracy, sister of Geof Tracy, Polly’s husband. Bess died the previous week from glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer.

    Back at the sand and sunshine, food trucks including Deet’s BBQ, Nick & Nino’s, Po Mo’s Ribs, Beastro Burger, and Atlantic Breeze Chicken Coupe sated appetites and Heidelberg Distributing Co. quenched thirsts as Dan Eshman provided tunes. Orion Institute provided free massages to players and guests. Meanwhile, Kids Zone kept children busy with crafts, bounce houses, and obstacle courses.

    Fifty-three teams — 48 backyard and 5 advanced — participated. The winning team was Advanced Champion, Tireman, with NOW Title Exams runner-up; Backyard Champion, Ohio Living Swan Creek and O-I runner-up. Tireman placed first and Ohio Living Swan Creek was the runner-up in the head-to-head category.

    Thanks go to ProMedica, the lead sponsor, along with folks at the YWCA who were instrumental in the success of the event.

    TOLEDO Sport and Social Club’s seventh annual Bump, Set, Splat, Mud Volleyball event presented by Dave and Buster’s at the Lucas County Fairgrounds drew about 1,000 people for the sold-out event. Two 162-feet-by-60-feet-by-one-foot-deep pits, dug out a few days earlier, held 10 courts, nets and all.

    A DJ played tunes from 9 a.m. ’till nearly 9 p.m., revving up the action as spectators watched the 80 teams slip and slide in the mud. Teams were from all over, including Cleveland and sites in Alabama.

    Food trucks Deets’ BBQ and Pepperoni Tony’s were busy as was the Bud Lite booth by Treu House of Munch.

    People dressed in great costumes including Batman, Fred Flintstone and his friends in a Yabba Do Car, and The Incredibles. Many were rewarded with refreshments for dressing up.

    The winners were the Team Country Fresh from Willard, Ohio, the upper-bracket winner; and Legends of the Muddy Temple from Toledo, the lower-bracket winner.

    Including this year, more than $45,000 was raised for the Kidney Foundation of Northwest Ohio, which ran the event and provided the volunteers.

    AdBASH presented by the American Advertising Federation-Toledo drew 23 teams and lots of spectators at the Sand Courts at The Docks in International Park overlooking the Maumee River.

    DJ Michael Toth cranked up the tunes for a fun evening. Food was catered by Le Petit Gourmet, Cookies by Marlene, and spirits from NWO Beverage. H.O.T. Graphic Services and Pepsi generously donated water to keep everyone hydrated.

    Among the teams at the rain or shine event were Hart, H.O.T. Graphic Services, Louisville Title, Metzgers, The Andersons, MadAveGroup, Hanson, Franklin Park Mall, and Cooper Smith.

    Winners were: First place, The Blade; second place, Outreach; third place, the Governors, and fourth place, InfoStream Solutions. The best-dressed award went to Communica.

    Kudos to Greg Reece and his team of volunteers for running the show. A few thousand dollars was raised to add to the pot for charitable donations not yet determined.

    SWIMMING is always a fun part of summer, especially for those who are on swim teams at local country clubs.

    The Club Championship Swim meet at Stone Oak Country Club was an all-day affair of the four main strokes: free-style, back stroke, breast stroke, and butterfly. The teams from Inverness Club, Toledo Country Club, Belmont Country Club, Brandywine Country Club, and of course, Stone Oak all performed well, but the winning team was Belmont. Stone Oak followed in second place.

    The following week each club held its own awards banquets, by the pools, no doubt.

    The clubs’ pools will no doubt be busy today and tomorrow as members take a last dip before the season ends.

    Barbara Hendel is The Blade's Society Editor. Contact her at bhendel@theblade.com or call 419-724-6124.