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Rob Ritz, the Roseclair Eagles No. 2895 president, participates in the cornhole tournament Sept. 13.
Richard “Pops” Socha, known for being a good player, takes a shot during the cornhole competition.
During the event, Roseville Fire Chief Keith Jacobs, second from left, talks with Kris Socha, right. Socha and his fiancée, Wendy Kimmel, of the Warren-based Badges & Bags Cornhole, set up the fundraiser with 10 cornhole boards.
ROSEVILLE — The members of Roseclair Fraternal Order of Eagles No. 2895 never pass up an opportunity to hold a fundraiser for a worthy cause.
Whether it’s raising money to help someone battling cancer or holding raffles to benefit veterans charities, the group is always willing to lend its support.
On Sept. 13, the Roseclair Fraternal Order of Eagles showed up for the club’s third annual cornhole tournament to benefit the Roseville Police and Fire departments.
Cornhole is a lawn game played with a pair of raised platforms called cornhole boards placed at a distance from one another. Players compete against each other by tossing small beanbags from several feet away. The object is to throw the beanbag into the hole in the board or onto the board’s surface, and the beanbag stays on the surface, to earn points.
Kris Socha and his fiancée, Wendy Kimmel, of the Warren-based Badges & Bags Cornhole, set up the game with 10 cornhole boards on the grounds outside the aerie off Little Mack. The tournament was played in round-robin style; players then were seeded for a single game double elimination tournament. The event was open to the public, and registration cost $25 per person. Socha is a U.S. Customs officer in Detroit and Kimmel is a nurse.
“We have a lot of first responders, military veterans or current military that play with us,” Socha said. “We try to do as many fundraisers as we can, no matter the reasoning. We provide everything. Wendy and I enjoy playing as well as running the event.”
For anyone who wants to improve their game, Socha recommends that they practice.
“That’s what it comes down to,” he said. “You can never practice too much.”
That includes learning how to spin the bag to get the best shot. One player hard to beat was Socha’s dad, Richard “Pops” Socha.
“Everyone is younger than me. This helps keep you young,” he said. “I like the competition. It’s something you can enjoy. There is skill involved. How long you play determines how good you’ll be at it.”
Roseclair club members Jamie Parker and Dennis Gieleghem got into some friendly competition during the day.
“He just kicked my butt. Guys like him never miss,” Gieleghem said. “Kris, Wendy and Pops are really good shooters. I just come out and have fun. Anybody can play at any age. I’ve met so many great people here playing cornhole.”
Parker has been a member of the charity organization for 18 months and serves as a trustee on the board.
“The people are great,” he said. “We’re like a family. We’ve raised a lot of money for charity work. We put on bingo nights, euchre nights.”
Rob Ritz is the club president. New members are always welcome.
“They can just show up,” Ritz said. “We try to keep it so everyone knows everyone. Everyone is your brother and sister.”
The cornhole tournament raised $2,500 with each department receiving $1,250.
Although he didn’t play cornhole, Roseville Fire Chief Keith Jacobs attended the fundraiser. He said the Eagles’ donation will go toward the purchase of a new fire-safety inflatable house to be used as an educational tool in the future at events. The Roseville Firefighters Union Local No. 1614 also will use the funds to support families in need during Thanksgiving and Christmas with food baskets and gifts.
The cornhole competition fell just prior to Fire Prevention Week, which is scheduled for Oct. 5-11. The National Fire Protection Association announced this year’s theme is “Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home.” According to the NFPA website at nfpa.org, the theme is designed to better educate the public how to buy, charge and dispose of lithium-ion batteries safely.
October is Fire Prevention Month. It’s tradition for fire departments to hold fire safety open houses during the month where firefighters display apparatus, offer fire safety tips and more. Roseville will not have its annual fire safety open house this fall because of the reconstruction at its headquarters on Common Road.
“We hope to do something in the spring after the reconstruction is completed,” Jacobs said.
In an email, Roseville Police Chief Mitch Berlin said the money raised will go into the department’s community outreach account. The funds are used for all community events, including Shop with a Cop, a backpack giveaway, and to purchase Roseville police swag such as pencils, cups and school supplies.
The Roseclair Eagles No. 2895 aerie is located at 29500 Little Mack Ave. in Roseville. For more information, visit its Facebook page, email rceagles2895@gmail.com or call (586) 775-9616.
