Five Hills royalty aim to help Purple Heart veterans through cornhole fundraiser
Special to Leader-Press
The sweltering Texas heat didn’t stop dozens of people from competing in a cornhole tournament to benefit area veterans who have been wounded in combat, fighting for the USA. As Olympians in Tokyo were going for the gold, Copperas Cove Five Hills Ambassador Dawn Hale and Young Miss Five Hills Emily Kimball left it all on the board in a cornhole tournament to benefit the local Military Order of the Purple Heart 1876.
“Not only did I learn more about the Purple Heart Association, I also learned how to play the game of cornhole with my mom,” Kimball said. “The most rewarding part of the event was meeting so many interesting veterans and hearing their heroic stories of how they preserved the freedoms we enjoy today as Americans.”
It was the first time playing cornhole for Hale and Kimball. Nineteen teams competed and the tournament was a two-game elimination.
“In our first game, we really learned a lot about how the game is played. We didn’t know that if both teams got a bag on the board, they canceled each other out,” said Hale who played with her husband, John. Both are military veterans. “We got better as the night went on and I even managed to get five air throws right in the hole.”
The Hales won against their first opponents and continued to advance throughout the evening as they honed their skills. All team members cheered for each other, always shaking hands at the end of the games and thanking each other for the friendly competition.
The Hales are league bowlers and that experience helped their throwing technique as they captured eighth place in the tournament.
“We were mighty proud of ourselves for lasting that long,” Hale said. “It was a hot Texas day and we were sweating, but we had a blast. I was surprised and I think my husband was too on how much fun we had. We might even get our own cornhole set so we can work on our throws.”
Hale and Kimball also helped the fundraising efforts by assisting with the silent auction hosted by Silver Wings Saloon. The Purple Heart honors the men and women killed and wounded in combat and their heroic actions. The Military Order of the Purple Heart provides services to those veterans.